Abiding within the Tree of Life:
And the pruning edge of God's Sword.
 

In the natural course of brain formation, much of the axons and synaptic roots of the neuronal cell bodies within the reasoning cortex, may be stunted pathways of confusion, lacking sufficient stimuli to be reliable links to other neurons.  They are like the branches of plants that may need culling or pruning stimuli to initiate proper growth, and are just waiting for a gateway of opportunity for functional use.  Please make note of this potential of opportunity for learning.  Spiritually, in the following text, we might make the connection in our minds that the New Covenant Word of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ can begin to cleanse and renew the mind, given the opportunity of desire in the individual.

To illustrate our pruning point, we are going to use an extreme example, such as when a cerebral vascular accident is occasioned in the speech center of the brain. The wholeness of the old stored speech processing information is disrupted or lost from the tens of thousands of neurons, which have perished in the brain catastrophe.  Although it is not absolutely clear whether the adult brain can recreate new neurons to replenish that which was lost, it does become incumbent upon the brain's innate arborization program, to begin to form new pathways of neuronal communication with that which remains and is alive with potential.  Before a form of reconstruction can happen, the debris field of dead cell bodies, with their axons and dendrites deprived of oxygenating blood, is cleaned up by the blood's macrophages (which are dominant white blood cells from the immune system).  Once debris is removed, then the brain, out of designed necessity, begins to establish neuronal reconnections between outreaching axons from existing functional neurons to the dendrites of other living neurons. Perhaps through neurogenesis,  new neurons can be created in damaged areas of the brain such as the speech center, but if they do become part of the restructuring of the neural network, they nevertheless are void of the previously gathered information of the past and need to be introduced into the area and completely reeducated.  With the desire of the afflicted one, restoration of functional speech is possible with reinforced stimulating speech discipline, practice and time. In the ongoing healing process, the dysfunctional synaptic connections of axons with dendrites, that are supplanting strength and adding confusion to the connecting neurons, are eventually pruned away by the immune system or are left as shriveled unconnected vestiges of their old usage. As far as possible, what is practiced and exercised will become the norm for the individual. 

Spiritually speaking, in the labyrinth of our natural adult minds, the innumerable neural root structures become overgrown with the carnal confusions of each solitary life, and are in need of special cultivation.  The infinite understanding and the wisdom of holy, holy holy God Almighty is not naturally cultivated in the earthly soils of our minds.  Our stubborn self independence is naturally perpetuated within our minds, which is a result of being born into the sin of Adam with his lustful desire to be as a god, and with his consumption of knowledge, he would be totally independent from his Creator.  Because of Adam's rebellion, which lead to his corruption and that of his offspring, the knowledge of God within our minds is corrupted and the natural mind continues ignorantly to cultivate sin's selfish motivation of autonomy from the God of the living.  Apart from God Almighty, death will be the result of the sin that is cultivated in the soil of our minds.  However, that special cultivation we spoke of earlier is through God's gift of His Holy Spirit, Who has come to us through faith in God's New Covenant in the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.

When receiving the Gift of the Grace of God, Wisdom reasons with us that we are all undone and dead, awaiting sins corruption of the whole body and soul.  But the mind of man may be renewed to a spiritual mind through the patient cutting and pruning process by the surgical Sword of the Spirit of God, and then through the same Spirit, we receive the cleansing and nurturing process of the soul by the Fountain of True Living Water from God's Word in Christ Jesus.   That you put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which because of God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ^{(Ephesians 4 verse 22 thru 24.)}  And [you] have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him [God] that created him [the new man]: ^{(Colossians 3 verse 10.)} 

If we let the Light and Love of God's Spirit perforate the heart of our being with His Word, then the confusion begins to be cut off at its roots.  Now, with the practicing of God's word through the Spirit, there continues to be the cutting off of the old dead thoughts in the roots of our minds, being supplanted by the new roots of faith and the beginnings of Godly understanding, formed from the Tree of Life in Christ Jesus.  God's unmerited grace makes it possible for the man of faith in Jesus Christ, having become a newborn child of God, to be renewed in the spirit of his mind,  with God's seed and regenerating power of new life that flows through the Spirit of God's Covenant Word in Jesus Christ.

O man and woman of the Tree of Knowledge, you are lost and without excuse before the only Holy and Just God!  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree: therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.  ^{(Matthew 3 verse 10 thru 12.)} If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  ^{(John 15 verse 6.)}

However, our gracious God is the God of Life and Light and full of mercy towards the humble, repenting sinner who desires to return fully to his Creator.  For God is not willing that any man or woman should perish eternally from His sight, but has set forth His own provision for eternal Life.  Jesus answered Nicodemus; "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him; "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. ^{(John 3 verse 3 thru 6. (ESV.)} Through faith in God's Word, we would become a new planting of the Lord, becoming trees of righteousness, planted within Jesus Christ in His death on the cross, and then through His glorious resurrection, we would be flourishing through the Fountain of Living Water that flows in the power of the Holy Spirit bearing good fruit, for God's praise and glory.  Yes, God has provided a way, a bridge of Life called the cross that spans the gulf of the event horizon of that black hole leading to our eternal death.   And for an eternal certainty, the Holy One Who hung on that cross in God's Perfect Love and mercy, is greater than all the sin of mankind, for God's Perfect Love overcomes the world!

Therefore, do not marvel at the words of Jesus Christ (Yeshuah Messiah) that man must be born anew.  This is a new birth of a soul that is a washed in the Fountain of Living Water poured out from the WORD of GOD and nurtured in the womb of the Spirit of Life and holiness.  (See Fountain of Living Water.) Dying mankind needs a new life; a brand new beginning of the heart, soul and spirit, born of the genesis power of the Word of the Holy Father of Life, Love and Mercy.  It was in God’s love and mercy that the very heart of the Word of God was crucified on that cross in the Person of Jesus Christ.  The Christ of God having a Perfect Love of His Father God, consumed away within the humility of Himself, as the Son of Man,  the violent vortex of the sin and the finality of death for all of guilty mankind.  For all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.  Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were beseeching you by us: We pray you on Christ's stead, be you reconciled to God. ^{(2nd Corinthians 5 verse 18 thru 20.)}

We understand through scripture with the gift of faith that God is Infinite Light and Power, dimensionally beyond all human comprehension.  At the appropriate time, our Father of Light,  through the Power of His Eternal Spirit, (Who is One and that same Light), sent His Eternal Seed, His Son, as that Light, passing through the elements of a Woman's flesh, to impregnate the ovum of that Jewish virgin, and His Word was born in the form of the flesh of Man/Adam, as God with us. ^{(See Isaiah 25 verse 7  and verse 14 thru 15.)} And the virgin called her son Yeshuah (Salvation of God, Jesus), for He shall save His people from sin and death.  In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His Salvation. ^{(Isaiah 25 verse 9.)} She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the Name Yeshuah, Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins." ^{(Matthew 1 verse 21. NIV.)} Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means Yahweh saves.

For God so loved mankind that He gave His Son, For it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.  He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. ^{(Isaiah 53 verse 10 thru 11.)} God has made Jesus to be a 'ransom' for yours and my sin, and the sin of all mankind, so that whosoever humbles themselves and believes on His redeeming righteous sacrifice, and then follows the Lord should not perish. For, whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: For just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."  ^{(in context Matthew 20 verse 25 thru 28. NKJV.)}

1000 years before Jesus Christ, David, the prophet psalmist sees the suffering Messiah.

Psalm 22. A psalm of David.  My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from saving Me, so far from the words of My groaning?  O My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer, by night, and I'm not silent.  Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the praise of Israel.  In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them.  They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.   But, I am a worm and not a man, scorned by Men and despised by the people.  All who see Me mock Me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:  He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue Him. Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him.  Yet You brought Me out of the womb; You made Me trust in You even at My mother's breast.  From birth I was cast upon You; from My mother's womb You have been My God.  Do not be far from Me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.  Many bulls surround Me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle Me.  Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against Me.  I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within Me.  My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth; You lay Me in the dust of death.  Dogs have surrounded Me; a band of evil men has encircled Me, they have pierced My hands and My feet.  I can count all My bones; people stare and gloat over Me.  They divide My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing. But you, O LORD, be not far off; O My Strength, come quickly to help Me.  Deliver My life from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dogs.  Rescue Me from the mouth of the lions; save Me from the horns of the wild oxen.  I will declare Your Name to My brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.  You, who fear the LORD, praise Him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel!  For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.  From You comes the theme of My praise in the great assembly; before those who fear You will I fulfill My vows.  The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise Him, may your hearts live forever!  All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him,  for dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.  All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him,- those who cannot keep themselves alive.  Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord.  They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, -- for He has done it.

To see Life and Light, man must be born anew by God's Holy Spirit.  God, the Father, has provided the free gift of Life in the Person of His only begotten Son.  So, through true repentance and by faith in Jesus Christ ^{(See Romans 10 verse 8 thru 12.)}, the heart and soul of the natural man, like an ovum, is impregnated with the Seed, the Word, even the very Perfection of God's Love and Light to bring forth a new creation and in the promised resurrection, would be bearing the Likeness of God's risen Eternal Son.  The Infinite God Who transcends time, took the sin's of the unbelieving world, and then allowed His Son Yeshua (Jesus) to hang from a wooden tree (cross) to reap the full fury of the wrath of God's indignation towards mankind's sin.  Yes, Jesus Christ, the Perfect Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world, and with the Love of God was made to be our sin, with its resulting judgment of death. In the Lord’s sacrificial death, the believer's sin was consumed away in our Lord’s Body that was made dead by the cruel nature of sin. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been freed from the enslavement of sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.  The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ^{(Romans 6 verse 6 thru 11. NIV.)}  When God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, God also raised the faithful believer up within Jesus Christ (Yeshua Messiah), so that even now the believer would live IN Him, by Him and through Him by the Power of God's Holy Spirit of LIFE.

Because Jesus Christ lives eternally, the believer would live IN Jesus and be, as it were, in incubation within the Holy Spirit of Life, so that God may bring forth many sons and daughters of His own Kind, into the Kingdom of His Son's rule.  

How great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.  Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.  You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. ^{(1st John 3 verse 1 thru 5. N.A.S.B).}