Jesus invites us to enter the Kingdom of God, to live according to the spirit. The spiritual gifts have a retribution in this life and the next: "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.", 1 Timothy 4:7-8. The gifts are progressive, everything we do in this life is a preparation for the next (progressive work).
Those who live according to the flesh follow a heresy: "you only live once." When we live according to the flesh we follow the temporary and changeable, the benefits of spiritual growth are nil: "for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world", 1 Timothy 6:7.
That is why the apostle Paul reminds us: "There is great gain in godliness with contentment", 1 Timothy 6:6. The spiritual gifts are linked to the vital energy of souls and it is that energy (remember that the holy spirit is represented as fire) that we carry into the next life, the inner progressive work has a future payoff, and perhaps this is the true meaning of eternal life and immortality.
For those who live according to the flesh, the apostle Paul warns: "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.", 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
The Kingdom of God is a doctrine according to godliness: "If any one teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions." 1 Timothy 6:3-4.
Godliness (constancy, firmness, devotion) in the Christian doctrine is the way to spiritual enlightenment (Gnosis).
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