Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (This World is a Schoolhouse for our Father to train His sons) 

How does our Father use this world as a schoolhouse to teach and train us? How does the Father use circumstances and situations (the old C&S gang) to mould us and shape us? What does it mean to be conformed to the image of His Son? How does the Father us these things to reveal Himself in His timing? How does the renewal of our mind to Christ's finished work on the cross liberate us? How is our new life in Christ liberate us from the world systems? Let us look into the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit lead and guide us into all truth!

THIS WORLD IS A SCHOOLHOUSE

"Now I continually say that the heir, as long as he ever is a child, does not ever differ from a slave though ever being lord of all, but ever is under guardians and stewards until the time before appointed by the Father" (Gal. 4:1,2, author's translation).

First, We are Under Tudors and Governors Until the Father's Time
We must be Spirit rebirthed into Christ by the Holy Spirit in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). At the moment of the rebirthing we are complete in Christ and Christ is complete in us in the Spirit (Col. 2:10). However, the soul and mind are continually being renewed by the Holy Spirit throughout our earthly walk (Eph. 4:23). Our temporal body will be exchanged with a glorified body one day, one split second past our temporal death on this earth (II Cor. 5:1-4). The Father has placed under tutors and governors (KJV) or guardians and stewards (NKJ) as infants or children in Christ to learn some things. Many of these tutors and governors are the very elements of this world that used to completely hold us in bondage before we were rebirthed (Gal. 4:3). However, now the Father will use them as training tools. For this world is a schoolhouse used by our Father to teach and train His born-again sons for His will and purpose to be done in them. It is all in the Father's timing. Sometimes, we think we can circumvent His training. Often, we would like to expedite His training. However, it clearly tells us that the Father has before appointed (in His own mind) a time for us. We are really moving according to His timetable and not our own. We are under tutors and governors of this world until the Father's preappointed time.

Second, God Allows Various Trials to Fall Upon Us for His Purposes
"My brothers, once then count it all joy when various trials round about at intervals might fall upon you" (James 1:2, author's translation). This is a little clearer in the direct translation from the Greek. This is not a discussion about you stumbling or falling into various trials, as much as it is that trials will fall on you. Expected and unexpected things do happen in this world schoolhouse. While the Father is certainly in charge in all things, He does permit or allow these things to happen to and in our walk in this world. We all face circumstances and situations (the old C&S gang). So, how do we handle them? How can we keep them from overcoming or overwhelming us?

Third, We Need and Must Draw Upon the Renewed Mind and Holy Spirit
This is where we really need and must draw upon the renewed mind, provided and assisted by the Holy Spirit. The renewed mind helps us see beyond the temporal and into the eternal realm. My first focus is to realize that my Father is in charge and has allowed circumstances and situations into my life for His divine training and His purpose. Others may intend it for evil. However, I need to seek Him and understand His purpose for my good. "For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). So what is the Father's divine purpose?

Fourth, This World is a Schoolhouse to Birth Sons and Conform Us to Him
"For whom He foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). In our Father's eternal plan, "He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4). Through Christ our Father created this world (Col. 1:16). Christ is the Creator! It says, "All things were created through Him and for Him" (Col. 1:16). This world is a schoolhouse to birth sons and conform us to His image. That is the primary purpose that the Father left us in this world following the Spirit rebirthing, to conform us to the image of His Son. The Father wants His Son to flow in and through us as us to others for His will and glory.

Fifth, God is Using Diverse Trials to Bring Us to Fullness of Understanding
James says, "Knowing continually that your proving of the faith continually works endurance. But let endurance continually have complete work, that you may ever be complete and entire, in nothing ever lacking" (Jas. 1:3-4, author's translation). God is using the diverse trials that fall upon us (Jas. 1:2) to mature us in Him. We should cooperate with the Holy Spirit and let Him renew our mind in every trial, circumstance, and situation that we face. These are the very things that bring us to the preappointed time of the Father for us. His preappointed time comes to pass through the renewed mind that He provides. John shows us this growth process as children, young men, and fathers in I John 2:12-14. As His children we know our Father and that our sins are forgiven. As young men, His word abides in us and we overcome the wicked one. As fathers, we know Christ in the Father before the foundation of the world. That is the focus and His ultimate eternal vantage point for us to see through the things of this world. God is using diverse trials to bring us to a fullness of understanding in Him.

Sixth, The Law Was our Schoolmaster to Bring Us to Christ for Justification
Paul said, "The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith, but after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:24-26). One of the tutors that we were under in this world was the law. The law was to bring about our knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20). So, we came to Christ to be our Savior and Lord. Now we are "justified freely by His grace" (Rom. 3:24). We are "justified by faith" (Rom. 5:1), and "justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9). "Therefore," because He is our Savior and Lord, and He has justified us by His grace and shed blood, "there is now no account of a condemnatory sentence in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). Christ is now living in us as our justification, righteousness, holiness, and eternal life (Rom. 4:25; I Cor. 1:30; Gal. 2:20; I John 5:11,12).

Seventh, The New Creation Life of Christ Liberates Us from the World
Paul says, "But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation" (Gal. 6:14,15). We focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified (I Cor. 2:2), not because it is popular, but because that is the wisdom and power of God (I Cor. 1:18,24; 2:5). After rebirthing, Christ is our new creation life. The law, doctrines, religious trappings are done away with in Christ. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). Christ liberates us from the world.