In our study of the lifestyle of wisdom last time we saw that grace is the genius of God, doctrine is the manifestation of that genius, and believers in spiritual adulthood glorify that genius through it's application.
Jesus Christ is the embodiment of wisdom that is sourced in grace and truth. John 1:14,17; Matt 13:54;
The believer who reaches spiritual autonomy glorifies the genius of God in grace by their application of doctrine in the pressures of life in the same way that our Lord did,
Grace is the logistical provision and the equal opportunity of election. Logistical grace, is God's provision of logistical life support blessings to keep you alive in the devil's world and the spiritual provisions for you to grow in grace that are conveyed by God to the perfect righteousness of God that you received by imputation at salvation regardless of whether or not you are glorifying him by advancing in his plan.
When believers understand this they realize that grace is not to be used as a short cut in an attempt to prematurely remove the suffering that God permits for His glory and the believer's advance.
In spiritual autonomy, grace orientation has the spiritual strength for correct and accurate application of grace principles to life. These grace principles are applied in the four categories of momentum testing.
The application of grace orientation in people testing builds a tolerance for others from impersonal love for all that is based on one's confidence in God's provision.
The application of grace orientation in system testing results in the believer having poise and professionalism when they are under the pressure of unjust treatment.
The application of grace orientation in thought testing enables the believer to maintain humility as the virtue that avoids self-effacement, self-pity, and self- denial.
The application of grace orientation in disaster testing enables the believer to apply the principles that Job did. Job 1:21; and Job 2:9-10; Job 13:15;
In spiritual autonomy the believer's doctrinal orientation to reality is increased and the correct and accurate application of metabolized doctrine during momentum testing is the means of grace advance to spiritual maturity. The believer consistently makes good decisions from a position of strength and as a result fulfills the protocol plan of God.
Protocol teaches that a wrong thing done in a wrong way is wrong. A right thing done in a wrong way is wrong. A wrong thing done in a right way is wrong. Under the protocol plan of God, a right thing must be done in a right way before it's right.
In spiritual autonomy believers have personal control of their life. They understand and accept their own personal limitations, and at the same time recognize there are no limitations on the grace needed to advance to spiritual maturity. Phil 4:13;
Personal control of life is established by refraining from interfering in the lives of others. You cannot control others and at the same time maintain control your own life. The principle is that every believer has their own priesthood where they stand before God alone.
Spiritual autonomy removes the tendency of the weak attempting to control the strong, a phenomenon that pervades the devil's world and can be seen in every area of life.
This is because the believers in spiritual autonomy are in total command of themselves.
The Greek word "autonomia" that is translated "autonomy" means to live under one's own laws so that one is independent whether in a situation of slavery, freedom, disaster or prosperity.