2 Corinthians 7 | My Site 1

MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES

Second Corinthians Chapter Seven

A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein

Let us bow our heads; If we need to use the Recovery Procedure as found in 1 John 1:9, let us do so at this time that we might be in fellowship. (pause) Father, we thank you for the privilege and opportunity to study your word and for the freedom that you have provided for us here in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.A.; furthermore, we express our appreciation to God the Holy Spirit who will enlighten us regarding the message this evening. We as priests pray this through the person of our Lord Christ Jesus, our High Priest, Amen.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Since we have these promises [a reference to the promises quoted from the Old Testament in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18. The principle goes beyond those promises to any promise related to a doctrine], beloved ones [Christ is the beloved one and since we are in union with Christ and share His righteousness, God the Father loves us as much as He loves His Son, Jesus Christ.], let us [the subjunctive mood: each believer must execute this command on his own, privately] purify [also found in 1 John 1:9] ourselves [through the use of the Recovery Procedure; the aorist tense indicates the point in time one names his sins; the subjunctive mood indicates that it is potential] from every filthiness [something one picked-up like garbage or excrement while riding or walking through a narrow street of the ancient world] of the flesh [the Sin Nature producing sin, cosmic good and evil] and of the spirit [a filthy attitude in having the wrong priorities and in not being interested in learning the Word], bringing to completion [experiential] sanctification [our spiritual lives] out of reverence [respect] for God.

ταύτας οὖν ἔχοντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀγαπητοί, καθαρίσωµεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς µολυσµοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύµατος, ἐπιτελοῦντες ἁγιωσύνην ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ.

The following doctrines will be covered:

Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The Recovery Procedure
Experiential Sanctification
Loving God the Father

“Beloved ones” Positional Sanctification:

Positional sanctification makes every believer in union with Christ a saint (set apart in Christ) positionally higher than angels as taught in Hebrews 1-2. Positional sanctification when applied removes all the barriers related to arrogance, prejudice, antagonism, and discrimination. It removes racial prejudice, cultural differences, social distinctions, personal antagonisms, economic barriers, ideological differences, sexual discriminations, environmental subjectivity, pre-salvation religious prejudice.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Retroactive Positional Truth and Current Positional Truth) occurs at salvation for Church Age believers only.

Colossians 2:12. Having been buried with Him [Jesus Christ] by means of the baptism [God the Holy Spirit identified us with the burial of Jesus Christ as part of our salvation] by means of which [Baptism] you have been raised up with Him [in union with Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father] through faith [at the point of salvation] in the operational power from the source of God who has raised Him [who gave the humanity of Christ a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].

Romans 6:3. Or do you not know that all of us who [correlative hosoi (ὅσοι)] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification], have been baptized into His death [Retroactive Positional Truth and so identified with his Substitutionary Spiritual Death on the cross]?

Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, sonship etc. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus. The plural correlative hosoi (ὅσοι) means that if we were identified with Christ in heaven and we were, then also we have been identified with Christ in his Substitutionary Spiritual Death in which he removed the power of sin nature. Thus, the Sin Nature should not have power over our lives when we apply this doctrine correctly.

A few more points will be noted:

1. Note that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation enters the believer into union with Christ at the right hand of God the Father which union is called Current Positional Truth.

2. This verse also mentions identification with Christ in His spiritual death on the cross which identification theologians call Retroactive Positional Truth. Retroactive Positional Truth also includes identification with Christ in His physical death and burial as well.

3. Identification with Christ in His death, then, has a two-fold connotation namely all personal sins were judged at the cross and since that is the case, God the Father is free to provide in grace, the Recovery Procedure. The second connotation is that cosmic good and evil were rejected by Jesus on the cross since good and evil are a part of Satan’s policy and plan. On the cross, Jesus relied on the Prototype Spiritual Life which operated under the Two Power Options namely God’s power system.

4. So, the Old Sin Nature’s ruling power over the Christian has been broken since all sins were judged on the cross and the Recovery Procedure has been provided when the Christian fails. So, Retroactive Positional Truth has destroyed the sovereignty of the Old Sin Nature over the life of the Christian.

5. Also, since Jesus rejected the good and evil policy of Satan so should the believer reject Satan’s policy of good and evil from the Cosmic System as the believer applies Retroactive Positional Truth.

Romans 6:4. Therefore, we have been buried together with Him through the identification [Baptism of the Spirit] into His death [physical], in order that just as Christ has been raised up from the dead [on Resurrection Sunday], through the glory of the Father [through the Father’s power], [So also we, the dead in Christ, will be raised from the dead by the power of God the Father, and those alive at the Rapture, by the power of the Holy Spirit.] in this manner we also might walk in newness of life [Experiential Sanctification should reflect our future Ultimate Sanctification.].

Christ had to die physically.

Luke 23:46. And Jesus having shouted clearly with a loud voice said, Father, into your hands I deposit my [human] spirit, and having said this, he exhaled [the mechanics of His death].

This last exhale caused His soul and spirit to depart from his mortal body resulting in physical death. Just as Christ had to die physically in order to obtain his resurrection body, so we must depart from our body of corruption, or mortality in order to receive our eternal body called our resurrection body.

The Newness of Life:

1. The newness of life provided through the Baptism of the Spirit includes positional freedom from producing good and evil. Not only are we free from the tyranny of good and evil, but we are also free from having to produce good and evil as explained in the next point.

2. The believer has no obligation to improve the devil’s world through social action, socialism, welfare state, communism, environmentalism, or any social gospel, social action, getting involved, etc.

3. The human race is protected from Satan’s policy of good and evil through the Laws of Divine Establishment which promote freedom instead of improvement at the cost of freedom.

4. In addition to the Laws of Divine Establishment, the believer is insulated from good and evil positionally through the Baptism of the Spirit.

5. Divorced from the Old Sin Nature positionally and its useless activity of human good and the function of evil, the life of the believer can be devoted to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ through maximum knowledge and application of Bible doctrine.

Romans 6:5-6. For if we have become united with Him [Christ, the new husband] in the likeness of His death [the Substitutionary Spiritual Death of Christ on the cross], and we have, and not only this, but also, we shall be united in the likeness of His resurrection [Current Positional Truth: in union with the resurrected Christ]. (6) Be knowing this [through Retroactive Positional Truth], that our old man [our former husband, the Sin Nature dates back to the Garden] has been crucified together [with Him], in order that the human body, with reference to its sin nature, [the Sin Nature located in the body] might be rendered powerless [when we use Recovery Procedure and the Two Power Options], that we should no longer be slaves to the Sin Nature.

“Our old man has been crucified with Him” meaning that the power of the Sin Nature has been broken on the cross. Since the power of the Sin Nature was broken by the work of the cross, we as believers have no excuse for not executing the spiritual life. We will not be able to say to Christ at our evaluation that our Sin Nature was too powerful for us to execute the spiritual life.

A few points for further clarification:

1. Retroactive Positional Truth is that phase of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation which identifies the believer with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and his burial.

2. In the Substitutionary Spiritual Death of Christ on the cross all the personal sins in human history were imputed to Christ, but at the same time the other two trends of the Old Sin Nature were not imputed for judgment.

3. Good and evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the Old Sin Nature as the sovereign of human life. In fact, the Sin Nature functions as the agent of Satan.

4. Good and evil were not imputed for judgment on the cross. Hence, in the spiritual death of Christ on the cross, they were rejected to remain an issue in the Angelic Conflict, rejected to be perpetuated in human history as an issue every believer must face, and either overcome through the intake of doctrine or be entrapped by ignorance of doctrine and therefore lose out in glorifying God in time.

5. We are identified with Christ in His spiritual death, which means that we must understand that our sins have been judged and that good and evil has been rejected.

6. It all adds up to the fact that the sovereignty of the Old Sin Nature over human life has been made powerless through Retroactive Positional Truth.

7. The imputation of all personal sins of the human race to Christ on the cross means that the believer through the Rebound Technique is instantly forgiven sins, cleansed from all wrong doing which includes Satanic good and evil, restored to fellowship and Filled with the Spirit.

Romans 6:7: For we who have died [the Christian is identified with the Substitutionary Spiritual Death of Christ: theologically called Retroactive Positional Truth] have been acquitted [positional deliverance] from [the power of] the sin nature.

A few points for further clarification:

1. A dead person is discharged from the obligations of his former sphere of life. This is why the word “death” is used in this context. It is not a literal, physical death we are discussing but identification with Christ in His death.

2. As unbelievers we were under the authority of Satan as the ruler of this world, and under the authority of the Old Sin Nature as the sovereign of human life.

3. Both the power of Satan and the Old Sin Nature have been abrogated through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.

4. This passage, then, emphasizes the annulling of the power and the authority of the Old Sin Nature as the sovereign of human life.

5. Positionally, the power of the Sin Nature has been broken. Experientially, the Old Sin Nature controls to the extent that we fail to understand and utilize the provision and support of logistical grace.

Romans 6:8. Now if we have died with Christ, and we have [Retroactive Positional Truth], we also believe that we shall live in association with Him [the instrumental of association; a reference to Current Positional Truth].

In this verse, the 1st Class conditional sentence shows the relationship between Retroactive Positional Truth with Current Positional Truth. The protasis, the ‘if’ clause states the reality of Retroactive Positional Truth and the apodosis, the concluding clause states the doctrinal inference and the reality of Current Positional Truth. While Retroactive Positional Truth presents positional rejection and separation from good and evil as the policy of Satan and the function of the Old Sin Nature, Current Positional Truth relates the believer to the function of the royal family of God. In other words, they have separate functions.

Romans 6:9. Knowing that because Christ has been raised from the dead [He received a resurrection body], no longer can He die; [physical] death is no longer a master over Him.

Analysis:

1. Retroactive Positional Truth destroys the sovereign authority of the Old Sin Nature over human life. Current Positional Truth, on the other hand, destroys the limited authority of physical death in human life.

2. Instead of being ruled by the Old Sin Nature located in the cells of the human body and influencing our souls toward sin, cosmic good and evil, we now have a new sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are identified with Him in His deaths, in His burial, resurrection, ascension and session.

3. Before salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, our lives were under the absolute rule of Satan who is the ruler of this world and under the rule of the Old Sin Nature which is the ruler of life, and under the limited rule of physical death. All of that, of course, has been changed since salvation.

4. Now, both Retroactive and Current Positional Truth have abrogated the authority and power of these former rulers. The power of Satan over our lives has been broken through identification with the rejection of Cosmic good and evil namely Satan’s policy and plan and through our position in union with Christ. The power of the Old Sin Nature is broken through Retroactive Positional Truth and the power of physical death is broken through Current Positional Truth.

5. Therefore, having studied these things by principle and by implication, application is found in Romans 6:12, 13 as we have studied in the past.

6. Having been positionally liberated from the sovereignty of the Old Sin Nature as an absolute ruler, and the authority of physical death, we must recognize and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in Romans 6:11-13 which we have studied in the past.

Galatians 3:25-28. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the authority of [have need of] a school bus. (26) For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ [identified with Christ through union with Him] have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek [no racial distinction], there is neither slave nor free man [no social or economic distinction], there is neither male nor female [no gender distinction]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [All Christians have the same privileges and opportunities to execute the spiritual life.].

Current Positional Truth, Elaborated:

In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ as opposed to religion. It refers to the Church Age believer in union with Christ and is the key to understanding the Church Age and how the royal family came into being. Therefore, it is the basis for distinguishing between Christianity and religion. Christianity is a relationship with God without merit whereas religion is a system of works to gain the approbation of God. Never shall the twain meet!

The mechanics of Current Positional Truth is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Spirit enters us into union with Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:13. For also by agency of the one Spirit we are all baptized [identification resulting in becoming a new spiritual species] into one body [in union with Christ], whether Jews or Greeks [racial distinctions are removed], whether slave or free [class and economic distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [the aorist passive, the voice of grace] the one Spirit [The Holy Spirit did not ask us whether we wanted to be put into union with Christ or not.].

Ephesians 4:5. One Lord [becomes our Lord positionally at Salvation], one faith [faith alone in Christ alone; Acts 16:31], one baptism [Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation].

Current Positional Truth guarantees that there will be no judgment for believers in eternity.

Romans 8:1. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Thus, the condemnation which occurred at the first birth was removed at the 2nd birth. As a result of being born with the Sin Nature and the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin, we were condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity, but now that has been removed.

Romans 5:12. For this reason just as through one man [Adam] the sin [nature] entered into the world [through procreation], and so spiritual death through the sin [the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin to the sin nature], and so spiritual death spread to all mankind, because all sinned when Adam sinned [since we were all genetically in Adam when he sinned, we will receive Adam’s Original Sin].

However, at our spiritual birth, the 2nd birth, our pre-salvation sins were all forgiven including Adam’s Original Sin. After which, the Spirit entered us into union with Christ where there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Current Positional Truth qualifies the believer to live with God forever. To live with God forever, the believer must have eternal life and God’s perfect righteousness.

1 John 5:11-12. And this is the deposition [the testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his son [since we are in union with Christ, we share this life.]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [a relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].

2 Corinthians 5:21. And He [God the Father] made Him who knew no sin [impeccability of Jesus] to be a sin offering [imputation of the sins of all humanity to the humanity of Jesus Christ on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [through Current Positional Truth].

Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security for nothing is able to separate the Christian from the love of God.

Romans 8:38, 39. For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels [neither fallen nor elect] nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven such as the humanity of Christ] nor depth [no angelic creature in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers whether they be apostate, mature, immature, spiritually adult, or carnal. Since Current Positional Truth occurs at the point of salvation before Christian experience begins, it doesn’t depend on that experience.

1 Corinthians 1:2. To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [a reference to Positional Sanctification at salvation], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.

So, even though you may be carnal or in reversionism, you still have positional truth. Being in union with Christ has nothing to do with what you do [experiential righteousness], or don’t do [failure to execute God’s plan]. Current Positional sanctification is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit and so is not based upon our volition, but on the sovereign decision of God. We make the decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we don’t make the decision to enter into union with Christ “all were made to drink the one Spirit” as per 1 Corinthians 12:13. God the Holy Spirit graciously did that for us and so it cannot be undone.

Current Positional Truth creates a new spiritual species in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come to pass.

You become a new spiritual species at salvation by being put into union with Christ. It is what God does for you in grace. It is not what you do after salvation, such as the self-righteous works of legalism. The “old things” have to do with spiritual death and those things related to that death; the “new things” refer to things you receive at salvation such as the 40 assets and the unique spiritual life.

Positional truth should motivate the production of divine good and a pattern of life compatible with royalty.

Ephesians 2:10. For we are his creation, having been created in Christ Jesus [a new spiritual species with many assets] for the purpose of divine good production [via experiential sanctification] which the God [the Father] has prepared in advance [in eternity past, God the Father provided election and predestination as part of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets], that we in the sphere of them [election and predestination] may pattern our lives.

Even though a Christian may die the Sin on to Death, he will not lose his position in union with Christ, and so cannot lose his salvation. In order for a believer to lose his position in Christ, he would have to sin in that status, but since the believer cannot sin in union with Christ, he cannot lose his position in Christ and so cannot lose his salvation. Thus, it is comforting and reassuring to a believer to know that even though a loved one may have died the ‘sin on to death’, he has not lost his salvation.

1 John 5:18-20. We [those who understand that the Christian cannot fail in union with Christ] know that everyone who has been born [regeneration at salvation] from God does not sin [in union with Christ], but He [Jesus] who has been born from God [the Holy Spirit provided the 23 chromosomes at the point of Mary’s conception], keeps watch over him [the believer] and the evil one [Satan] does not snatch him away [cannot remove his salvation]. (19) We know that we are of God, and that the whole world [the unbelievers] lies in the [power] of the evil one [through demon influence], (20) and we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us [spiritual] understanding [a spiritual I.Q.: human I.Q. plus the Filling of the Holy Spirit equals spiritual I.Q.] in order that we might know the true one [the Lord] and we are in the true one, in his son Jesus Christ [a reference to Current Positional Truth]. This one is the true God and eternal life.

Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:

1. Eternal life:

1 John 5:11-12. And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life [At salvation, God the Father imputes this life to the human spirit], and this life is in his son [the Christian shares the life of Christ through union with Him]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].

John 14:6. Jesus said to him [doubting Thomas], ‘I am the way [of salvation], the truth and the life [eternal life]; no person [in human history] comes face to face with the Father [having an eternal relationship with the Father] except through Me [there is only one Savior in all of human history].’

2. Perfect righteousness:

2 Corinthians 5:21. And he [God the Father] made him [Jesus] who knew no sin [the impeccability of Christ] to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth].

3. Election:

Ephesians 1:4. Just as He [the Father] has elected us [Church Age believers] for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ; a reference to Positional Sanctification] before the creation of the world [in eternity past], that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [Ultimate Sanctification] in the presence of Him [God the Father].

4. Destiny:

Ephesians 1:5. By means of love [this phrase belongs here not in the previous verse], He [God the Father] has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons [in union with Christ] to Himself through Jesus Christ our Lord [through His work on the Cross] according to the grace purpose of His will [in God’s plan everything is based-on grace].

5. Sonship:

Galatians 3:26. For you are all sons [means children] of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

6. Heirship:

Romans 8:16-17. The Spirit Himself testifies together [bears witness] with our [human] spirit, that we are the children of God. (17) Now, if we are children and we are, also heirs, on the one hand, heirs of God [the Father; heirs of a resurrection to function in the Millennium and the eternal state], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [passing all three stages of undeserved suffering is the basis for becoming joint heirs with Christ in the sense of receiving our Escrow Blessings] that also we might be glorified with Christ.

7. Sanctification:

1 Corinthians 1:2. to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [a reference to Current Positional Truth], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.

8. Priesthood.

Hebrews 7:12-19. For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change in the Law also. (13) For the One [the Lord Jesus Christ] concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe [the tribe of Judah] from which no one has officiated at the altar. (14) For it is evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests, (15) and this is clearer still, if another priest arises similar to Melchizedek, and there has, (16) who has become a priest not on the basis of physical requirement [a reference to the Levitical Priesthood] but on the basis of indestructible life [the Lord’s priesthood is forever]. (17) For this reason, it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest forever similar to the order of Melchizedek.’ [We are in union with Christ who has royalty. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever.] (18) For, on the one hand, there is a rescinding of the former commandment [the Mosaic Law that authorized the Levitical priesthood] because of its weakness and uselessness [in neither being able to provide salvation nor a spiritual life] (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better confidence [the spiritual life of the New Testament epistles] through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 7:26-28. For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, impeccable integrity, the One who cannot do evil, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens (27) who does not need daily, like those Levitical priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this, He did once and for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself [one efficacious sacrifice]. (28) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His [God the Father’s] oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has become perfect forever [Jesus Christ is omnipotent in his deity and a perfect high priest in His humanity].

9. Royalty:

1 Peter 2:9. But you and only you are an elect race [by God the Father as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [a nation of priests making a Client Nation], a people for God’s own possession [a protected people], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him [Christ] who has called [in eternity past] you out of darkness [out from spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light;

10. New Spiritual Species:

2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power [the Old Mosaic Covenant]; behold, new things have come to pass [This would include the New Covenant to the Church.].

Current Positional Truth changes our relationship with Angels.

1. Through Current Positional Truth the believer is higher than angels positionally.

2. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so superior to all angels. By virtue of being in union with Christ, every believer is now positionally superior to angels.

3. Positional truth has fulfilled the believer’s triumph with Christ in the Angelic Conflict. We are victorious with Him already.

4. Furthermore, Positional Truth demands that we be experientially righteous. Therefore, the believer’s walk on this earth must be compatible with positional truth since we have perfect security in Christ, we have the freedom to choose for Jesus Christ, to love Jesus Christ, to respond to His love, and to fulfill our purpose on this earth.

What positional truth is not?

1. It is not based-on any emotional or ecstatic experience.

2. It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.

3. It is not related to human merit or ability.

4. It cannot be changed by God, man or angels. It is eternal in nature.

5. It is not obtained gradually as you grow in grace, but in toto at salvation.

6. It is not known apart from the metabolization of doctrine.

7. From understanding the doctrine of Positional Truth, though we may progress in our spiritual life, we cannot improve our position in Christ since it is perfect at salvation.

8. We are not in Christ because of what we do (execution of the spiritual life) or fail to do (fail to execute the spiritual life), but because of what God has done.

Explanation: The conclusion from Positional Truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life. In Romans 7:1-4, we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is analogous to what actually happens to us as believers at salvation. The Old Sin Nature is the husband up to the point of salvation, but at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ positionally, the Sin Nature is dead, as it were, the first husband has died, and we have a new husband through union with Christ. Retroactive Positional Truth removes our first husband, the Sin Nature whereas Current Positional Truth enters us into union with Christ which union provides for our new husband. The Old Sin Nature-husband is still around, still seeking to regain his control over his former wife, the believer, but union with the second husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, has broken the first husband’s authority over the former wife.

“Let us purify ourselves” The Recovery Procedure:

The following question has been raised: If the Recovery Procedure is so important, why are the procedural steps only mentioned twice in Scripture namely once in the Old Testament (Psalm 32:1-5) and once in the New Testament (1 John 1:9)? What is the logical implication of such a question! Since it is only mentioned twice in Scripture, to these individuals, it cannot be important. What kind of logic is this! This is no logic at all. For example, since wives are told once to love their own husband in everything as unto the Lord, is it logical to assume that this command is not important? Husbands are commanded to love their wives just as Christ loved the Church. Not important according to this type of logic since this mandate is only found in Ephesians. Since Paul doesn’t even mention the royal priesthood of the Christian, it must have little if any importance. The Great White Throne Judgment is only taught in chapter 20 of Revelation. So, according to this type of logic, it isn’t worth the effort to study it. We could go on and on, but what is the point. The number of times a mandate is mentioned is not the basis for its importance. Every mandate in Scripture is important regardless of the times it is mentioned.

The written canon of Scripture represents only a portion of the letters written by the apostles. For example, we know that Paul wrote at least 4 epistles to the Corinthians, yet only two made it into the Canon. So, it is just possible, they wrote about the Recovery Procedure in these other letters which did not make it into the Canon. Furthermore, when the apostles wrote the epistles, they wrote about the problems that the Christians were having, not about something as simple as naming their sins to God the Father. For example, when Paul wrote to the Galatians, the Thessalonians and to the Corinthians etc., he wrote about their problems and sins, not about the Recovery Procedure which they obviously already knew.

Paul spent about 2.5 years in Ephesus, about 18 months in Corinth, much time in Asian Minor, Macedonia, Achaia and about 5 years on his 4th missionary journey. During that time, he taught tens of thousands of hours of Bible Classes and none of these classes were every recorded or written down. Undoubtedly, the first thing he would have taught would have been the Recovery Procedure. If not, they would not have had a spiritual life. Something as important as the Recovery Procedure would be passed down in Christian families from generation to generation. When the Presbyterians first went to South Korea in 1885, they taught many correct doctrines including how to name one’s sins to God the Father. This was passed down from one generation to the next so that I went to South Korea as a missionary in 1989, most Presbyterians still knew how to properly name their sins to God the Father.

As Christians, we must be extremely careful about what we say about the Recovery Procedure (how to recover our fellowship with the Holy Spirit after losing fellowship through sin) since Satan focuses his major attack against the Recovery Procedure. He knows that if he can neutralize this important doctrine, he has destroyed any potential of the Christian to execute the spiritual life.

Regaining fellowship with God through the Naming of our Sins:

Staying in fellowship is very important in the Christian way of life. Therefore, we must learn how to recover fellowship after committing sin. For restoration to fellowship, God has designed a simple procedure. Although it is simple, it must be followed exactly.

Naming our sins to God the Father is a conditional procedure and not a promise to be applied by faith. A promise is a divine declaration or assurance that something specified will or will not happen, whereas a procedure is a course of action (naming our sins) by which a result is obtained (forgiveness of our sins). A promise requires faith; a procedure requires action.

This verse does not say, “If we believe and cite our sins”. The believer cannot walk by faith when he is out of fellowship. So, God the Father has given the believer a simple procedure for restoration to fellowship. Simply name your sins to Him, and He will restore you to fellowship.

Some contend that the Christian must exercise faith in naming his sins. That is absurd since the Faith-rest Drill, namely walking by faith cannot be accomplished when we are out of fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The Faith-rest Drill is applying Bible doctrine to our experience and requires divine power for execution. This divine power is provided by the Filling ministry of God the Holy Spirit, only when we are in fellowship. Walking by faith is a part of the spiritual life. When the believer is out of fellowship, his spiritual life comes to a halt until he gets back-in.

In the function of the Faith-rest Drill, the soul must be controlled by God the Holy Spirit. When the believer is out of fellowship, his soul is controlled by his Sin Nature. When the believer is controlled by his sinful nature, he is in a totally helpless and hopeless situation. This is why God had to provide a grace solution for this dilemma. This grace solution is a simple procedure, not a faith-exercise.

The Christian must realize that he is either in or out of fellowship with God. He is not partly in fellowship and partly out of fellowship. When the believer is obedient to Bible doctrine under the Filling of the Holy Spirit, he is in fellowship and walking in the light. So, being in fellowship is related to the soul, and not the body or its emotions. Therefore, fellowship is not something we ‘feel’. No believer should say, ‘I feel close to God’ or, ‘I feel like I’m in or out of fellowship with God’. Rather, the believer must understand that when he decides to sin, he loses fellowship with the Holy Spirit and is no longer walking in the light, but enters into the sphere of darkness where he commits his sins. When in darkness, he must enter the light again through confession of sins.

Fellowship always follows forgiveness! When a person first believes in Jesus Christ as his Savior, his pre-salvation sins are forgiven, and he is placed immediately in fellowship with God the Holy Spirit. After salvation, when he decides to sin, fellowship with the Holy Spirit is broken and the believer enters into darkness where he sins. At this point the believer is helpless and needs a grace solution that he may again walk in the light. (When the Christian is out of fellowship and walking in darkness, he is in a totally hopeless situation. It is hopeless because the believer out of fellowship is under the control of his Sin Nature and so can do nothing to please God.) Therefore, the solution to this problem of loss of fellowship comes from God’s gracious forgiveness, the only solution.

This passage (1 John 1:9) starts out with the following clause, “If we name our sins [known sins].” The Greek particle εαν (ean-if) and the Greek verb ὁµολογῶµεν (homologomen: to acknowledge, name, or cite) in the subjunctive mood forms a 3rd class conditional sentence in the Greek. The 3rd class conditional sentence emphasizes the free will of the individual and has the connotation of ‘maybe’. The believer may name his sins correctly to God the Father or he may not. When John wrote this passage under the ministry of the Holy Spirit, he recognized that many Christians would fail to properly cite their sins to God the Father.

Not only does the subjunctive mood recognize free will, but also does the imperative mood. A father may say to his daughter, “If you get married (subjunctive mood: potential, possibility, probability), I will give you an expensive wedding present.” Since she has free will, she may never receive that gift. A city mayor may command drivers to drive within a certain speed limit within the city. However, this does not mean that all drivers will comply. Scripture recognizes free will through its use of the subjunctive and imperative moods.

God provided 1 John 1:9 as the only way to recover our fellowship with Him. Since God gave it to us, it is our responsibility to use it. So, every time the believer gets out of fellowship, he should immediately name his sins to his heavenly Father. This is his responsibility.

The believer is not only responsible for acknowledging his sins, but he is also responsible for the act of his sins. Therefore, when you sin, don't blame others. Don't ever say, “He or she made me angry”. This is failure to take responsibility for your own sins. No person can make you angry. You made the decision to become angry, to worry, to become jealous, to gossip, or to fornicate. That was your decision, not the decision of someone else.

The translation of the Greek compound verb ‘homologeo’ is extremely important. There are those who attempt to determine the meaning of a compound Greek verb by taking the meaning of the independent parts and then from these two meanings determine the meaning of the compound. These same people who do not understand how the meanings of words are determined would take the Greek verb, ‘anaginosko’ and say since ‘ana’ means ‘up, by or through’ and ‘ginosko’ means to know, the compound means to ‘know up, by or through,’ but it doesn’t. It means ‘to read. How about the English word, ‘wiseacre’? The adjective ‘Wise’ means characterized by deep understanding. Acre is 43,560 square feet of land. So, a wiseacre is a plot of land with deep understanding. How about massacre! Mass is a quantity of considerable size; an acre is a little field. So, massacre means a large quantity of land! Take the word, ‘nimcompoop.’ Some would say that since ‘nimcom’ comes from the Latin ‘non compos mentis’ and poop means poop, it comes to mean a poop that is mentally ill or a mentally ill person who flatulates frequently. These same ignorant individuals explain the meaning of ‘homologeo’ as follows: ‘homo’ means ‘same’ and ‘logeo’ means to speak, and so they reason from this false method that this compound verb means to ‘to say the same thing’ or to agree with, and so they would translate 1John 1:9b as follows: “If we agree with our sins.” Even though that translation makes no sense at all, I believe the point these nimcompoops are trying to make is that the Christian doesn’t need to name his sins, a Satanic attack for sure on the Recovery Procedure.

The meaning of words is always determined by usage, and the usage can change over time. Another words, how was a particular word being used by a people at a given period of history? For example, the word ‘gay’ used prior to World War II meant something quite different from how it is being used today.

Now, let’s look at how ‘homologeo’ was used. ‘Homologeo’ (to cite, to state) is a classical Greek word originally used in the Athenian courts of the 5th century B.C., and since the cross was a courtroom-scene namely God the Father judged the humanity of Christ for the penalty of everyone’s sins, the apostle John used this technical word that we might understand how forgiveness relates to the judgment of the cross. In the Greek judicial system this verb was used of a criminal stating his crimes before a judge in a courtroom. After the criminal was found guilty, the judge would demand that the criminal acknowledge his guilt by stating his crimes (homologei tas harmatias sou). In stating his crimes, the criminal was not permitted to get emotional. He was not permitted to state his remorse, to apologize or weep. The judge demanded that the criminal only state the facts regarding his crime or crimes, after which the judge would assign the appropriate punishment prescribed by law. Law, not emotion, was the criterion in the Athenian Court.

Judgment is followed by forgiveness. The cross was a courtroom trial presided over by a Judge, God the Father by whom Jesus, a substitute for the guilty human race, was sentenced and punished for all the sins of humanity. During the last three hours of the Cross, there was only judgment, not forgiveness for forgiveness is a result of the judgment of the cross. Colossians 1:14 states, “By whom [Jesus Christ] we have redemption [a primary accusative of object] resulting in the forgiveness [a secondary accusative of result] of sins”.

The key word in the first clause of recovery is ‘homologeo’. This word ‘homologeo’ contains no emotion, not even 1%. No tears, no regret, no begging, no promise to do better, and no ritual. Just acknowledge your guilt and state your sins to God the Father. How you feel about the sins during your confession is totally inconsequential. Just follow the procedure and name your sins; don’t try to impress God with your emotion.

Now, it is true that sometimes when you sin, you may experience some regret which in turn may motivate you to name your sins to God the Father. This is okay, but not necessary. The truly honest Christian admits to himself that he wanted to commit a particular sin and just names it without going through the emotion of regret. Desiring to get back into fellowship is sufficient motivation; emotion is not necessary. However, if a Christian remains out of fellowship for a prolonged period of time, he will become very emotional and may even be entering into the early stages of neurosis. So, when he finally decides to get back into fellowship, he may not be able to refrain from weeping as he confesses his sins to God the Father. This is okay as long as he is not trying to impress or bribe God the Father with his tears which bribery would be a subtle form of works.

The clause “If we name our sins” refers to known and remembered sins. Now, please realize that certain sins are very subtle. So, in some cases you may not even realize that you have sinned. Obviously, if you don't know what you have thought or done was a sin, or if you have forgotten your sin due to an elapse of time, you cannot name it. For example, if you do not realize that worry is a sin or you have forgotten that you had lied about something, then you will not realize your responsibility to name it to God the Father. So, the word “sins” refers to known sins that you remember, not unknown or forgotten sins. These known sins must be named to the proper person of the Trinity. The citing or acknowledgment of sins in the Church Age is addressed to God the Father (Mark 11:25, 26; Luke 11:2). God the Father is immutable, and so He is always faithful. Therefore, every time you name your sins to Him, He forgives you and restores you to fellowship. He is never wearied [you cannot wear-out his omnipotence] by your confessions nor becomes irritated by your failures. After all, his policy is grace. So, he is always forgiving.

He is not only faithful, but also perfectly righteous. So, God cannot forgive us in grace until his righteousness is completely satisfied. This takes us back to the cross, the scene of the greatest courtroom case in all of history. God the Father was the judge. As a righteous judge, he demanded a perfect sacrifice to be punished for all the sins of the world. The only perfect sacrifice was the Lord Jesus Christ. So, the justice of God punished the humanity of Jesus Christ (He bore our sins on his body) for every sin of every human being in history. When it was finished, the righteousness of God the Father was completely satisfied. Consequently, He is free to forgive the believer when he properly cites his sins.

Don’t add your work to the propitiatory work of our high priest, Jesus Christ on the cross. All sacrifices have to be offered by a priest. Since Jesus Christ was a high priest, he was able to offer himself as a sacrifice which propitiated completely God the Father. So, since there is nothing which needs to be added to the work of the cross, just name your sins. Don't make an issue out of yourself. Make an issue out of the cross by just stating your sins. When a Christian adds the human work of tears, promises, regret, begging, liturgy etc. while naming his sins, his confession becomes unacceptable to God. God cannot accept any work that competes with the perfect work of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.

The Greek word ἵνα (hina) with the subjunctive mood introduces a result clause and should be translated “with the result that”. Since the righteousness of the Father was completely satisfied by the work on the cross, he is free to forgive us of our sins [the ones named, the unknown ones and the forgotten ones] and to purify us from all wrongdoing (grieving, quenching and lying to the Spirit and all the Cosmic good, and evil related to it.).

The Greek word αϕιηµι (aphiemi) means to forgive and the Greek word καθαριζω (katharizo) means “to cleanse” or “to purify”. The father not only forgives us of the sins which we state, but also the ones we do not state or have forgotten. When the Christian uses the recovery procedure, he is saying in effect, Father, I know that you have punished Jesus for all of my sins, so on that basis forgive me of my sins (the sins I mention and the ones I have forgotten or am not cognizant of). Now, the next word is ‘katharizo’ and relates to the soul, and so should be translated “purify”. God not only forgives us of our sins, but he purifies us from all wrongdoing and restores us to fellowship. Wrongdoing incorporates everything that the Christian does when he is out of fellowship; it includes Grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), Quenching the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and Lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3) and everything related to these such as Cosmic good and evil. (By the way, it is usually prolonged wrongdoing in the Cosmic System that leads to the Sin onto Death as per 1 John 5:16, 17).

When we sin and get out of fellowship, God administers discipline, but that discipline does not mean that we are paying the penalty of that sin. We cannot be punished for the penalty of the sin itself since Jesus Christ already paid in toto for the penalty for every sin, rather, we are being punished by the love of God specifically His justice so that we will avoid guilt and learn to obey and respect Him (Hebrews 12:6). Forgiveness and purification do not imply that this suffering will stop. However, whatever suffering still exist after getting back into fellowship, becomes suffering for blessing.

In summary, the opportunity to name one's sins to God the Father and get back into fellowship is a gift of grace. This gift was not intended to encourage sinning, but to provide the believer with the opportunity to continue in the spiritual life and to complete the objectives of the spiritual life by growing in grace and knowledge.

“Bringing to completion sanctification”

Experiential Sanctification:

Experiential Sanctification is a part of the Christian’s experience while living in his mortal body on this earth. Experiential Sanctification is the function of the spiritual life after salvation. This spiritual life depends upon three spiritual skills: The Filling of the Holy Spirit, the metabolizing of Bible doctrine, and the utilization of the Ten Problem Solving Devices. Through the application of the spiritual skills, the believer develops spiritual righteousness, in effect he becomes set apart (experientially sanctified) to God.

There are five Greek words related to this subject: hagiazo a verb, hagios an adjective, and three nouns: hagiosmos; hagiotes, and hagiosune. Let’s take a look at few passages and see how these words relate to the different categories of sanctification.

John 17:17. Sanctify [the aorist imperative of hagiazo] them by means of truth [developing experiential righteousness by metabolizing and applying the Word via the Filling of the Spirit]. Your word is truth.

1 Peter 3:15a. But sanctify [set apart as more important than anything else] the Lord Christ in your hearts [set Christ apart as someone special through your spiritual advance which takes place in your soul] . . .

One of the key points differentiating Experiential Sanctification from Positional and Ultimate Sanctification is that it depends upon human volition. While on this earth, you are free to succeed or free to fail, depending on the decisions you make from your volition. (The Christian can only succeed in the spiritual life if he is in fellowship with God the Holy Spirit that is functioning under the power and authority of the Spirit. The Christian is failing when he is out of fellowship which means that he is grieving (Ephesians 4:30), and quenching (1 Thessalonians 5:1) the Spirit.)

Therefore, since the believer’s volition only functions in the matter of Experiential Sanctification, only in his experience on this earth can he fail and sin. The Christian cannot sin or fail in any way in Positional Sanctification (in union with Christ) or in Ultimate Sanctification (in his resurrection body).

“Out of reverence [respect] for God” Loving God the Father

1 Corinthians 8:3. But if anyone loves God, he [the advanced believer] is known by him [idiom for intimacy: God recognizes that believer as a great believer and treats him accordingly].

1 John 4:19. We [the mature believers] and only we love [reciprocating God’s personal love] God because He himself first loved us [in eternity past with personal love].

A few points for clarification:

1. Since the Greek verb agapao connotes a mental attitude love, the believer must love God from his soul. This is only possible through a knowledge of God. So, no believer can love God apart from doctrine in the frontal lobe.

2. Emotional sentimentality is not love for God. Emotionally oriented believers are in love with emotion and emotional phrases and for this reason are unstable. Love for God is not measured in terms of emotion and ecstatic experience but in terms of knowledge of doctrine metabolized and applied. Unfortunately, very few believers love God because very few believers ever learn enough doctrine to do so.

3. The Lord is intimate that is he has a close relationship with those who know doctrine. Intimacy with the Lord in this life is based on knowledge of doctrine.

4. You must know a person to really love a person. Until you really know a person, you are simply attracted to them. Once you know that person you are either more attracted or you dislike or separate from that person. The Lord is perfect, and the more you get to know the Lord the more wonderful he becomes to you.

5. Emotionalism, rationalism, religionism, legalism, are not the basis of loving God.

2 Corinthians 7:2

Make room for us [in your souls]. We have wronged no one [in any possible way]; we have corrupted no one [through false teaching]; we have taken advantage of no one [through deceit or cheating].

Χωρήσατε ἡµᾶς· οὐδένα ἠδικήσαµεν, οὐδένα ἐφθείραµεν, οὐδένα ἐπλεονεκτήσαµεν.

Normally, a communicator of God’s Word does not need to defend himself. However, this congregation was so horrible and evil and Paul and his team so great that God the Holy Spirit instructed Paul to put down in permanent record this defense to show to every generation just how corrupt and vicious a congregation of believers can become without the use of the Recovery Procedure and spiritual advance. A further reason for Paul’s defense was to reestablish his authority. Without reestablishing his authority, he would not have a ministry in Corinth ever again. A communicator must be able to teach with authority.

Generally, when there is a conflict among believers, it is best to leave it in the hands of the Lord via the Faith-rest Drill. The complications among believers are so difficult to sort out, that it is, in most cases best to let the Supreme Court of Heaven sort it out for this heavenly court has all the facts.

Background information: When Paul went to Corinth on his second missionary journey, he had a tremendous response to his gospel ministry. Thousands responded so that he remained there for 18 months evangelizing and teaching. Though Paul taught well, the new converts had so many flaws and soul kinks that very little of this teaching was metabolized. This means that many of the new converts were in a state of arrogance, and in that state, many put Paul on a pedestal initially. Paul to them was like an image of perfection. He became their role model. However, after Paul wrote 1 Corinthians which in itself was a reprimand, but not to be compared to the severe reprimand of his third letter written from Ephesus (a letter written between 1 & 2 Corinthians), the Corinthians reacted. This reaction demanded that Paul be pulled down from the pedestal (the image had to be destroyed) which they had created. In arrogance people create icons; in arrogance they destroy icons (iconoclastic arrogance). Having pulled Paul down from this pedestal, the pedestal is now vacant. So, it appears that four to five ring leaders climbed unto the pedestal and then began pushing each other off of that pedestal. While these ring leaders were struggling for power and control, they maligned Paul.

Iconoclastic Arrogance

This is subjective preoccupation with others. Unhappiness can come from both preoccupation with self and with others. Iconoclastic arrogance deals with all the problems that come from relating to others. In iconoclastic arrogance, an unhappy person, creates an image of perfection out of a person. Then, when he discovers the person’s feet of clay namely their sins or flaws, he attempts to destroy that image or icon since the person he greatly admired or even idolized has failed him. Illusion becomes disillusion! Enchantment becomes disenchantment.

The mechanics of iconoclastic arrogance are three-fold. Arrogance in a relationship with someone else creates an idol (icon) through excessive admiration or what amounts to pseudo love for another person, and so puts him or her on a pedestal. Note that it is the arrogant one who puts the other on a pedestal, creating problems for himself immediately. Arrogance eventually becomes disenchanted with the object of admiration for arrogant people cannot really be objective toward anyone. Disenchantment occurs quickly in those who are subjective. By becoming disenchanted with the object whom he formerly admired, the arrogant person seeks to destroy the idol he created from his own arrogance. Once he sees the idol's feet of clay, his unstable arrogant personality which yesterday had excessive admiration for someone, now is full of antagonism.

The arrogant believer takes an ordinary mortal who has feet of clay, and from romantic illusions, or from deluded idealism, or from his repertoire of subjectivity, he fashions in his mind an idol of perfection. Arrogance is prone to illusion, never seeing people as they really are. Arrogance only sees people as arrogance would like them to be. The idol of perfection created by arrogance can be a romantic image, a spiritual image, a beautiful or attractive image even a political image; nevertheless, it is an image that really doesn't exist. The illusion, which is an arrogant misconception, becomes the delusion of imposing on the conscious mind an idol which really does not exist. Iconoclastic arrogance creates the idol of perfection, becomes disillusioned when the feet of clay, his flaws are manifest, and then destroys the idol when the delusion is shattered. For example, an arrogant woman can idolize a man and even marry him in her state of idealism. After the marriage, when his flaws begin to appear, the woman reacts to his feet of clay. The problems that ensue usually eventuate in a horrible marriage or even divorce. A Christian may idolize a pastor, an evangelist, or a missionary, and then demand attention from this created icon. Once that attention is lacking or lagging, the arrogant person becomes frustrated and looks for flaws. Flaws are easy to find if you're looking for them. Illusion created by arrogance becomes illusion destroyed by arrogance. When illusion becomes disillusion and enchantment becomes disenchantment, the pattern for iconoclastic arrogance is obvious. The arrogant reaction of disillusion or disenchantment enters into all the mental attitude and verbal sins of motivational arrogance. The arrogant iconoclast never blames himself for what he has done in creating an idol and then, in disenchantment or disillusion, destroying it, but in his irrational state of mind, he blames the idol for being created by his own fantasies. Arrogance never takes the responsibility for being arrogant.

The object of arrogant admiration is all too often a believer with attractive qualities, but like all believers, he possesses an Old Sin Nature, his own "feet of clay." Once his Old Sin Nature shows, the arrogant person feels betrayed that he had misplaced his admiration. The problem is that the arrogant person has no true humility, no true love, and no virtue. Furthermore, arrogant subjective believers in their preoccupation with self, ignore the reality of the Old Sin Nature and the universal depravity of man.

However, with true love from a state of humility, one has the capacity to love people with their faults. Your eyes are wide open to their failures and their faults. This is because impersonal love, the problem solver for personal relationships, accepts and tolerates people as they are, not as you wish them to be. Admiration is a normal expression of one's standards. Normal admiration is very wonderful and is a sign of having some worthwhile standards. When you admire people in certain fields, it merely reflects your own thinking and standards, your priorities. It is not degrading to admire others, but it is arrogant to be idolatrous about people. It is evil and morally degenerate to be iconoclastic about people. The standards of the Protocol Plan of God always relate to virtue, honor, and integrity, and these are expressed in admiration for people, but to become disillusioned, disappointed, or disenchanted with the idol of your own making is abnormal and a sign of moral degeneration. Love, respect, and admiration when normal are related to two things in your life: virtue (good standards and priorities) and humility in your own soul. Humility with virtue never manufactures idols out of humans. Therefore, a person with humility and virtue can form tremendous friendships and have a wonderful marriage and family life.

Role Model Arrogance: Role is defined as the proper or customary function of a person. Society and people in general have assigned certain customary functions to those who perform certain activities in life. This is particularly true of politicians, professional athletes, husbands, wives, teachers, public servants, and pastors. When anyone departs from his role model, he is condemned, rejected, criticized, judged, slandered, and maligned. People in society in general have a predilection for desiring everything and every person to be in its proper place, and they resent any form of deviation. For this reason, society inevitably has a double standard; they have one standard for the role model, and a second standard for themselves. While a person may excuse himself for his own sins, failures, and flaws, he inevitably condemns the role model for identical sins, failures, and flaws.

In essence, this is another aspect of iconoclastic arrogance. Role Model Arrogance manufactures hypocrites, legalists, and self-righteous persons. Role Model Arrogance creates hypocrisy in the clergy, pretending to be superior and legalism in the congregation from becoming self-righteous. Therefore, both clergy and congregation are distracted from what is important, i.e., the mystery doctrines of the Church Age by which the Protocol Plan is executed. In summary, Role Model Arrogance tries to impose impossible or perfect standards on others. This ignores the fact that all believers have a sin nature, and continue to sin after salvation, 1 John 1:8-10.

The Combination of Unrealistic Expectation and Role Model Arrogance is part of the arrogance of unhappiness, subjective preoccupation with self. Unrealistic Expectation means that arrogant people are not loved the way they want to be loved or treated the way they want to be treated. Role Model Arrogance is part of iconoclastic arrogance, gate 8 of Cosmic One, defined as subjective preoccupation with other people. Role Model Arrogance plus Unrealistic Expectation combine to form a tragic flaw in the believer. It is the tragic flaw of the double standard by which, on the one hand, people justify their own sins while judging, slandering, and condemning the sins of others. Therefore, Role Model Arrogance plus Unrealistic Expectation results in three focus problems: Eyes on self which is a double standard used to justify self, to rationalize away one’s own sins, and to ignore both moral and immoral degeneracy in oneself. Eyes on people include such sins as envy, hatred, bitterness, revenge, gossip, maligning, slander, inordinate ambition, and inordinate competition. Eyes on things or people is arrogant resentment because others possess material things or have the affection of people which you do not possess.

Principles of Iconoclastic Arrogance: For your happiness, contentment, and blessing, remember that you cannot change other people; you can only change yourself. Therefore, avoid crusader arrogance and iconoclastic arrogance, which is subjective preoccupation with people. If you're occupied with Christ, you will be able to take people as they are. If you're not occupied with Christ, people will make you miserable as long as you live. You cannot change people to conform to your Unrealistic Expectation or Role Model Arrogance. When you suffer from Unrealistic Expectation and are not loved or treated the way you want, you try to change people to conform to what you want. However, you cannot change people; you can only change yourself. Only by changing yourself can you avoid Iconoclastic Arrogance, Unrealistic Expectations, and Role Model Arrogance. You cannot change people by imposing upon them impossible standards, which is what Role Model Arrogance attempts to do. You could never keep such standards yourself; nevertheless, you impose them on others. This explains why marriages explode, as each spouse pulls the pin on his or her grenade of arrogance and rolls it under the other person destroying the marriage.

In summary, you cannot react to the failures, flaws, and sins of other people through iconoclastic arrogance. Now, let’s finish this subject with an example. A shocked wife tries to destroy the idol of perfection she created before marriage. A shocked husband complains to the bartender that the woman he married is not the woman he dated. Observe the feet of clay before marriage to avoid creating an icon, and after observing the feet of clay, decide whether you can deal with it or not.

Corinthian arrogant accusations against Paul:

1. Paul did not maintain his dignity, but lost his dignity when he worked by making tents. His critics implied that Paul should have allowed the Corinthian Church to provide for his needs. In their inconsistency, they also accused him of embezzling funds from the other churches. In fact, Paul had to work in Corinth since the Corinthians were too arrogant and too self-centered to understand spiritual giving.

2 Corinthians 11:7. Or did I commit sin in humbling myself [by making tents to support myself] that you might be exalted [advance spiritually], because I preached the good news [evangelization and Bible teaching] of God to you without charge?

2. Paul was boastful.

2 Corinthians 10:8, 12, 13, 15. For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us [Paul and his team] for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. (12) We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves [in the Corinthian Church]. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. (13) We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field, God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you [The Lord made Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles which field is the entire Gentile world]. (15) Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others [These legalists are attempting to take credit for the spiritual growth brought about by Paul and his team]. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand,

3. Paul was not qualified to teach since he was not one of the original apostles.

2 Corinthians 3:1. Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? [They were obviously attacking his apostleship: Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles, came to Corinth with a letter of recommendation from the Jerusalem Council. Others, false teachers, the Judaizers have come in without letters of recommendation.];

2 Corinthians 11:5. For I evaluate myself not to be inferior to the highest apostles in anything.

2 Corinthians 12:11-12. I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you [not attacked], for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. (12) The things that mark an apostle: signs, wonders and miracles were done among you with great perseverance.

4. Paul’s bodily presence was not impressive nor his speech (not a strong emotional speaker).

2 Corinthians 10:10. For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 2 Corinthians 11:6. But even if I am unskilled in speech [let’s assume this to be true for the sake of argument], yet not in knowledge; but in every way we have made this perfectly clear to you [through Paul and his team’s knowledge of the spiritual life].

5. Paul was a coward and afraid to face them in person.

2 Corinthians 1:23. Moreover, I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you [Paul would have confronted them and possibly caused an even greater reaction; rather God had Paul write 2 Corinthians that they might be more objective in listening as Titus would teach it to them] that I did not return to Corinth [A large group of legalists in Corinth were calling Paul a coward because he didn’t come, and since he didn’t come, they alleged that he was afraid to face them].

6. Paul embezzled funds entrusted to him.

2 Corinthians 8:20-21. Taking precaution so that no one will find fault with us in handling large sums of money being administered under our authority; (21) For we have regard for what is honorable [providing forethought for valuable things], not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men [Paul was very careful to handle the movement of large sums of money in an honorable and professional manner].

7. Paul was vacillating.

2 Corinthians 1:17. When I planned this, did I do it lightly [when he didn’t arrive]? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner [no I don’t] so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no" [instability and great vacillation]?” (18) But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No" [We are not unstable; It was God who prevented Paul from going to Corinth].

8. Paul was deceitful.

2 Corinthians 12:16, 17. Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! (17) Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?

9. Paul was carnal.

2 Corinthians 10:2. I beg you that when I come, I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people [a large group of believers who have become antagonistic toward Paul and his ministry] who think that we live [spiritually] by the standards of this world [They were saying that Paul was out of fellowship and therefore not functioning under the Two Power Options].

10. Paul was like a kitten when in their presence, but like a lion when on the other side of the Aegean Sea.

2 Corinthians 10:1. By the humbleness and graciousness of Christ, I appeal to you: I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!” 2 Corinthians 10:11. Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present [Paul was a tough fearless Benjamite and was not afraid of anyone; he was not a kitten, but a lion].

Leadership versus Management:

1. The leadership type pastor establishes his authority through the teaching of Bible doctrine. He understands that he must earn the respect of the congregation if he expects them to accept his authority.

2. Positive volition of the congregation provides motivation for the perception of doctrine. Each person must have his own positive volition.

3. The establishment of discipline in the classroom for the inculcation of doctrine is the foundation of the pastor’s leadership.

4. The leadership-pastor motivates by Bible teaching without interfering with the privacy or the volition of the members of his congregation. Leadership type pastors are not petty; managerial types are.

5. Church administration receives its policy from the pastor, but the administration is handled by the board of deacons.

6. The function of the leadership-pastor produces both self-motivation and esprit de corps among the members of the congregation. The leadership-pastor not only creates self-motivation through faithful doctrinal teaching, but also provides the basis for the manufacture of virtue, honor, happiness, and overall capacity for life.

7. On the other hand, the managerial pastor motivates by giving attention, flattery, recognition, and patronage (dispensing of positions and status).

8. Since managerial pastors have no leadership, they use bureaucracy to control the members of their congregation which can lead to the following: dissatisfaction and conspiracy, disillusion, bickering, legalism, and a general lack of integrity.

2 Corinthians 7:3

I do not speak for the purpose of condemning you for I have said before that you are in our hearts [mentalities] to live together and to die together [two infinitives of intended results to encourage the execution of this unique spiritual life] in harmony [our mutual spiritual lives are more important than we are].

πρὸς κατάκρισιν οὐ λέγω, προείρηκα γὰρ ὅτι ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡµῶν ἐστε εἰς τὸ συναποθανεῖν καὶ συζῆν.

Paul did not write his strong reprimand (his third letter) to condemn, but to make them realize their degenerate state in order that they might get back into fellowship and resume their spiritual lives. A communicator must be honest with his audience.

The Spiritually Rich and the Spiritually Poor

1. The spiritually rich are those winners in the Protocol Plan of God who receive the transfer of their blessings from the Escrow deposited in eternity past.

2. The spiritually poor are losers in the Cosmic System who are still supported by God’s logistical grace. Although they have equal privilege and equal opportunity, they will not receive their Escrow Blessings simply because they’re negative, through either ignorance or cognizance (failure to apply the metabolized truth in their stream of consciousness).

3. The spiritually poor cannot lose their salvation and so will receive their resurrection bodies at the Rapture, but they will not receive Escrow Blessings at the Judgment Seat of Christ (the Evaluation Platform of Christ).

4. Cosmic believers are double losers and the poorer for it. Their first loss is in time. Though they had equal privilege and opportunity at salvation, they failed to fulfill the Protocol Plan of God. Hence, their Escrow Blessings for time remain on deposit forever as a memorial to their failure. They are a double losers because, as a result of their not obtaining their Escrow Blessing in time, they won’t receive their eternal Escrow Blessings either.

5. Hence, losers are under divine discipline in life. Although their names are still recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they are omitted from the honor’s list in eternity.

6. Logistical grace extends equal opportunity to every believer, beginning on the day of his salvation, to receive his Escrow Blessings. Every believer is kept alive by logistical grace long enough so that he could become a winner.

7. Therefore, every loser is a loser by his own decisions. Though he may not take responsibility for being a loser in time, he will take the responsibility for his bad decisions at Evaluation Platform of Christ which evaluation will impact the believer for eternal future.

8. Some believers exploit the equal opportunity of election and predestination and fulfill the Protocol Plan of God in time. Time provides the opportunity for the grantee to attain God’s highest and best under election and predestination.

2 Corinthians 7:4

Great is my confidence in you; Great is my boasting in you. I am greatly encouraged [in their use of the Recovery Procedure and potential spiritual growth] in all our troubles [temporary aberrations of the Corinthians which aberrations Paul reacted to while in Troy]; my happiness knows no bounds [Paul resumed his spiritual life after confessing his sins to God the Father in Macedonia].

πολλή µοι παρρησία πρὸς ὑµᾶς, πολλή µοι καύχησις ὑπὲρ ὑµῶν· πεπλήρωµαι τῇ παρακλήσει, ὑπερπερισσεύοµαι τῇ χαρᾷ ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡµῶν.

Happiness, sharing the Happiness of God:

James 1:12. Happy is the believer who endures testing [passes the three categories of undeserved suffering and by so doing completes the spiritual life] for having become approved [at his evaluation after the Rapture], he shall receive the wreath of life, which he [the Lord] has promised to those who love Him [enduring devotion and reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ].

The greatest happiness comes to the believer who completes the spiritual life because in doing so, he obtains the happiness which God has designed for him as a mature believer. The happiness of spiritual maturity is a system of integrity and thinking, a happiness not dependent upon people or things, but related to loving God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit. Since the mature believer has both enduring devotion and respect for God, he has the power, the inner strength to handle any test or suffering in life.

Happiness is related to receiving eternal decorations and crowns for these decorations will glorify the members of the Trinity forever.

After the believer develops a personal love for Jesus Christ, he will receive his final test in life, then upon passing this test he will be approved by the Lord and receive “The Wreath of Life”. This decoration is awarded to invisible heroes for maximum production of divine good through the execution of the plan of God. Therefore, the Wreath (crown) of Life is related to the invisible hero's (mature believer’s) production from his spiritual gift, his ambassadorship, and his royal priesthood. The wreath of life is awarded for consistent Filling of the Holy Spirit, consistent perception of doctrine, and consistent use of the Problem-Solving devices resulting in the completion of the spiritual life.

Revelation 2:10. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Note that the devil is about to cast some of you in prison that you may be tested, and you will have special persecution ten times. Keep on being faithful even until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

When a military man or athlete received a wreath in the Greek world or in the Roman Empire, he would also receive great benefits and tremendous wealth. Each wreath included monetary reward, freedom from taxes, children educated at public expense, a statue of the person erected in the public square etc. The wreath is used by analogy for some of the greatest honors and blessings God can give to believers.

Many Christians associate happiness with success, wealth, travel, sex, marriage, children, or just with some pleasure in life. If the believer is ever going to understand the happiness that God wants him to have, he must eventually discard these false ideas.

2 Corinthians 7:5

For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest at all [could not sleep], but we were troubled in every way: conflicts on the outside [outside pressure because of the Corinthian reaction], fears within [sinful stress from reacting to the pressures].

Καὶ γὰρ ἐλθόντων ἡµῶν εἰς Μακεδονίαν οὐδεµίαν ἔσχηκεν ἄνεσιν ἡ σὰρξ ἡµῶν, ἀλλ’ ἐν παντὶ θλιβόµενοι ñ ἔξωθεν µάχαι, ἔσωθεν φόβοι.

Paul wrote four letters to the Corinthians. The first and the third ones we no longer have. Thus, 1 Corinthians was his second letter; 2 Corinthians was his fourth. The Corinthians reacted to 1 Corinthians (the second letter). In the face of this serious situation, Paul made a quick trip to Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:2). This trip turned out to be mentally painful and failed to accomplish its purpose. So, Paul returned to Ephesus and wrote a severe reprimand, his 3rd letter, a non-canonical letter to the Corinthians (as per 2 Corinthians 2:4). This reprimand was probably taken to Corinth by Titus (2 Corinthians 12:18) to which reprimand the Corinthians reacted even more (2 Corinthians 7:8-11). During the meantime Paul had gone to Troas where he was having a great ministry. There, he was expecting Titus to meet him and to brief him regarding the Corinthian Church, but Titus was not able to come to Troy. Apparently, reestablishing Paul’s authority took longer than anticipated. Titus being a great trouble shooter would not leave Corinth until the matter was resolved, and so did not go to Troas (Troy) as expected. Paul and his team in Troas (Troy) not knowing the situation in Corinth came under stress (out of fellowship through some emotional sin such as worry or fear). Under emotional stress, Paul abandoned his wonderful ministry in Troas (Troy) and went to Macedonian in hopes of meeting Titus there and hearing his report. Titus eventually arrived in Macedonia and gave Paul a relatively good report (The majority of the Corinthians had again accepted Paul’s authority though many problems still existed). Paul then finished 2 Corinthians (his fourth letter) which Titus took back to Corinth which epistle Titus communicated and was eventually able to straighten out the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:6, 16, 17).

2 Corinthians 7:6

But God, who comforts the humble ones [Paul and his companions recovered their fellowship with God and resumed their spiritual lives after arriving in Macedonia and there they waited for Titus’ arrival], comforted us by the coming of Titus [the report from Titus was encouraging],

ἀλλ’ ὁ παρακαλῶν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς παρεκάλεσεν ἡµᾶς ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ Τίτου·

2 Corinthians 7:7

And not only by his coming but also by the comfort by which he was comforted over you [over your change of attitude and your acceptance of authority]. He told us about your longing [to see Paul again], your emotional reaction [like a noisy and loud lamentation at a funeral; their lament over how they had vilified Paul], your zeal toward me [toward the ministry of Paul], so that I rejoice the more [after Paul recovered from temporarily being out of fellowship and reestablished his spiritual life, he was happy. This report added to his happiness ‘the more.’ Paul realizes that the change wrought by the communicative effort of Titus would be permanent. Though their change was accompanied by emotion, it was not based on emotion.].

οὐ µόνον δὲ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει ᾗ παρεκλήθη ἐφ’ ὑµῖν, ἀναγγέλλων ἡµῖν τὴν ὑµῶν ἐπιπόθησιν, τὸν ὑµῶν ὀδυρµόν, τὸν ὑµῶν ζῆλον ὑπὲρ ἐµοῦ, ὥστε µε µᾶλλον χαρῆναι.

After getting back into fellowship, the Corinthians had a great desire to be with Paul and to listen to his teaching. Being back in fellowship and realizing how raunchy they had treated Paul (all of their vilification), they began to weep and wail. This was a start in the right direction, but needed to be followed by consistent exposure to Paul’s teaching. The Corinthians realize this for they now have a zeal toward Paul’s ministry. This will eventually make many of them great believers.

2 Corinthians 7:8

Because if I caused you mental anguish [The Corinthians were hypersensitive due to their arrogance] by my letter [Paul’s third letter, a non-canonical one of strong reprimand] and I did [a 1st class conditional sentence], I do not regret it [after Paul recovered his fellowship, he realized that he was correct in writing that letter of strong reprimand] even though I did regret it. [When the Corinthians reacted to Paul’s epistle of reprimand, Paul reacted to them and began to vacillate. In this temporary vacillation he had regretted sending that strong reprimand] I perceive that my letter [the 3rd non-canonical letter] cause you anguish [offended you], but only for a little while [a few months since all four letters were written within a year].

ὅτι εἰ καὶ ἐλύπησα ὑµᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ, οὐ µεταµέλοµαι· εἰ καὶ µετεµελόµην [βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἐκείνη εἰ καὶ πρὸς ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑµᾶς],

2 Corinthians 7:9

Now, [after regaining fellowship and resuming his spiritual life in Macedonia, Paul again can view the situation objectively], I rejoice, not because you suffered anguish [were grieved, distressed], but because you suffered anguish resulting in a change of thinking [they realized their arrogance and recovered fellowship through the use of 1 John 1:9] for you suffered anguish as God would have it [suffering from the Law of Volitional Responsibility and divine discipline] so that you might not suffer loss of anything [Escrow Blessings in time and eternity] because of us [Paul, Apollos, Timothy, and Titus told them the truth. The Christian cannot make the necessary corrections without hearing the truth even though it may hurt].

νῦν χαίρω, οὐχ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε, ἀλλí ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς µετάνοιαν· ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ θεόν, ἵνα ἐν µηδενὶ ζηµιωθῆτε ἐξ ἡµῶν.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For mental anguish as God would have it [being hurt by divine discipline] produces a change of thinking [the believer may hurt so much so that he finally names his sins to the Father] resulting in a deliverance [from the Sin unto Death] devoid of emotional regret [remorse], but the distress of the world [false solutions to one’s sin problems such as feeling sorry for one’s sins, regret, remorse, and the emotional concept of ‘Godly Sorrow’] causes to bring about death [the Sin unto Death because the believer never gets back into fellowship].

ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη µετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀµεταµέλητον ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσµου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται.

Dying the Sin unto Death:

The Christian who fails to achieve the objective of the spiritual life will experience maximum suffering as he approaches and enters into his dying stage.

Paul wept privately when he realized that most of the thousands of Christians whom he had led to the Lord, were distracted from executing the spiritual life and would die the Sin unto Death.

Philippians 3:18-19. For many [the majority] keep walking concerning whom I have told you many times, and now even weeping I tell you that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ [most Christian today] (19) whose end [of their life] is destruction [the Sin unto Death implying both loss of Escrow Blessings both for time and in eternity-future] whose god is their emotion [their lifestyle since they have rejected divine thinking and power], and whose glory [in their resurrection bodies] will be associated with shame [at the Evaluation Platform of Christ], who keep thinking about earthly things [their distraction led to the failure to execute the spiritual life].

Walking is a metaphor for the believer’s lifestyle. When we walk, we take one step at a time. So, it is with the believer. The spiritual life is moment by moment, step by step way of life. These Christians had forsaken the spiritual life and were constantly walking out of fellowship.

Paul warned these Christians many times not to be distracted from the spiritual life. He warned them not to be distracted by emotion, by false values and priorities, by lust related to the things of this world. Since Paul realized how great the spiritual life was, it made him terribly sad to see large numbers of his converts leave the spiritual life. Occasionally, in private, he would weep when he thought of this great tragedy.

1 John 5:16. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to [physical] death [the believer is not dying the Sin unto Death], he may ask [pray for him] and he [the Father] will give life [restore his physical well-being] to him, to the ones committing sins not leading to [physical] death [Job 42:7-9]. There is a sin [missing the mark by failing to execute the spiritual life] unto [leading to] death [the believer being executed by the Lord for failure to execute the spiritual life], and I do not say that you should pray concerning this one [1 Chronicles 10:13, 14 regarding King Saul].

The Christian who does not achieve the objectives of the spiritual life will die the “Sin leading to Death” (1 John 5:16). He will die in terrible disgrace, and if he has time to think about it, he will have in his soul painful emotions such as fear, bitterness, regret and other sinful emotions as well. He will have regret over his failure to achieve in this life the happiness that God wanted him to have and regarding his loss of the greater blessings in the eternal state. However, in grace he will receive his resurrection body at the end of the Church Age (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

How do you know if a Christian is dying the ‘Sin unto Death?’ If a Christian knows nothing about the spiritual life because he has failed for 40 years to learn the Word of God and is dying, or if a Christian full of fear comes to you screaming “Help, help, I am dying – pray for me please!” then he is obviously dying ‘the Sin (the Christian who misses the mark in his spiritual life) unto Death’. In summary, if you know doctrine well enough to discern whether a fellow Christian is “growing in grace and knowledge” (2 Peter 3:18), and you discover that he is very sick and dying, you may pray for his recovery. However, if a Christian is dying from ‘the Sin unto Death’, you may not pray for him.

Death is the same for all:

Dying is different for believers, but death is the same. At the death of the believer, the soul leaves his mortal body and enters an interim body. Paul mentions being face to face with the Lord at death. “Face to face” implies a body.

2 Corinthians 5:8. We are of good courage; I say and prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home face to face with [the Greek preposition “pros” has this connotation] the Lord.

Once the believer dies, he will never experience death, pain, or sorrow again.

Revelation 21:4. And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes [much of this comes from divine discipline]; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying [much from self-pity] or pain; the first things have passed away.

Whether the Christian experiences victory in dying or disgrace in dying, he will be treated the same at death. He will be absent from this mortal body, face to face with his loved ones in heaven.

We have seen that there is a difference during dying. In heaven the differences do not take place until after the Rapture of the Church. At which time, each believer will be evaluated by the Lord and be given or denied rewards.

When facing death:

1. The reality of death is the test of the believer’s spiritual condition and true scale of values.

2. In the face of death, the following will not comfort you: money, success, wealth, promotion, and social life just to mention a few things. Dying can be the greatest happiness in life or the greatest misery, and it depends upon the content of Bible doctrine in your soul, not the details of life.

3. Therefore, if Bible doctrine is not first in your scale of values during the living phase of your life, dying will be a nightmare. If on the other hand, doctrine has first place in one’s scale of values, dying should intensifies one’s happiness. So, dying will either intensify suffering or happiness.

4. The ten special persecutions from Domitian to Diocletian made death a reality to millions of people who were believers. Believers living in the Cosmic System when facing the threat of torture and death easily renounced their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers having lived their life in God’s power system, when facing the threat of torture and death, were not afraid and did not renounce Christ.

5. Regarding cosmic believers, fear of death becomes fear of life. If you are afraid of death, you are afraid of life. If there is nothing worth living for, there is nothing worth dying for. But only those mature believers in the pivot understood that issue.

Removing Fear from Death:

1. Bible doctrine resident in the soul removes fear of death as well as fear of life.

2. The believer having executed the spiritual life is not afraid of torture and death. That means that martyrdom is never in vain. Martyrdom without renouncing Christ, is one of the greatest rewardable functions in eternity. At the very least, he will receive the Wreath of Life.

3. Before Constantine, the Roman Empire was many times evangelized through dying testimony; after Constantine it was generally evangelized through living testimony. In history it takes both. Dying testimony requires, like living testimony, that Bible doctrine is more real than anything in life. Otherwise, when called upon to live or die for the Lord Jesus Christ, he can’t do it.

4. The success standards of life must be replaced by the success standards of God’s plan. In the future, the judgment seat of Christ will reveal that many people who have had a comparatively humble station in life in the Lord’s eyes were the great heroes and heroines of history.

5. Only through Bible doctrine can God and His plan be more real than people, ambitions, situations, and pleasures. Beware that you do not function in life according to human viewpoint, on the basis of rationalizing doctrine to fit your ambitions and functions in life. The divine viewpoint must override peer pressure, and arrogant ambition must be replaced by doctrinal perception. When that happens and you fulfill the principle of being faithful, even unto death, there will be a special, super reward for you in heaven.

Dying Grace:

God provides blessing and happiness to the mature believer in dying. This divine provision is called dying grace. Dying grace is stronger than any pain or suffering in dying. Even in the greatest pain there is maximum soul stimulation through loving God and the happiness related to it. This is why Paul was able to say, “As far as I am concerned [ethical dative], living is Christ [maximum love for Christ]; dying is gain [because of dying grace]” (Philippians 1:21).

2 Timothy 4:6-8. For I [Paul] am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come [Paul has entered the dying stage]. I have fought the good fight [he was continually advancing in the spiritual life on a day-by-day basis]; I have finished the course [completed the spiritual life]; I have kept the doctrine [he never deviated from truth]. In the future there is laid up for me the Crown of Righteousness [for completing Experiential Righteousness] which the Lord, the righteous judge will award me on that day [the period of evaluation following the Rapture]; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing [at the Rapture].

Paul is happy in his dying stage for he knows that he has reached his objective of Occupation with Christ [“living is Christ”; “all who love his appearing”]. He has finished the spiritual life that God has assigned to him. David also reached occupation with the Lord, so he was able to enter into dying with great happiness as well.

Psalm 23:4a. Also, when I [David as a mature believer] walk through the valley of the shadow of death [expression for dying], I cannot fear evil [adversity] since you are with me [reciprocal love].

Each believer will enter his own valley of death. In eternity past God designed a different valley for each believer. For some believers, the valley is very short, but for others the valley is very long with many turns. If the believer learns the Word of God and develops a wonderful relationship with the members of the trinity, he will have the greatest possible happiness as he goes through the valley that God has designed for him.

Dying is merely the conclusion of one’s life. If a believer has great happiness in life, he will have even greater happiness in dying. If the believer has the capacity to enjoy (be happy in) life, he will also have the capacity to enjoy dying. On the other hand, if one’s life is full of regret, anxiety and fear, then his sins will be magnified as he moves toward and enters his dying stage. David said that he did not fear the adversity of dying. The Hebrew word ‘ra’ has a number of meanings such as violence, disease, harm, and other categories of adversity involved in death. David did not fear these things, but you will if you do not develop a love for God. David did not fear the pressure and suffering that sometimes comes with dying because of his love for the Lord “since you are with me.” David knew that God’s love never fails in time of adversity.

2 Corinthians 7:11

For behold this same thing [just mentioned in the previous verse] that you have received mental anguish as God would have it [suffering and discipline to encourage the use of the Recovery Procedure] what diligence it has produced in you [that is quickly getting back into fellowship and resuming their spiritual lives]: what a defense to clear yourselves [in their defense they named their sins to God the Father], what a new attitude [toward their previous sins of reaction], what a respect [for God’s word], what an insatiable desire [to learn the Word], what a zeal [a dynamics], what readiness to see justice done [divine viewpoint replacing human viewpoint]. At every point you have proved yourselves to be clear in this matter [made all the necessary corrections].

ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ κατὰ θεὸν λυπηθῆναι πόσην κατειργάσατο ὑµῖν σπουδήν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολογίαν, ἀλλὰ ἀγανάκτησιν, ἀλλὰ φόβον, ἀλλὰ ἐπιπόθησιν, ἀλλὰ ζῆλον, ἀλλὰ ἐκδίκησιν· ἐν παντὶ συνεστήσατε ἑαυτοὺς ἁγνοὺς εἶναι τῷ πράγµατι.

2 Corinthians 7:12

So, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong nor on behalf of the one being wronged [Paul did not make an issue out of who was wrong, who was right etc. Furthermore, it was not Paul’s objective to hurt them, but to stimulate them to come back to the grace of God.], but rather that you could see for yourselves how devoted you are to us in the sight of God [that you might benefit from ministry of the Pauline team].

ἄρα εἰ καὶ ἔγραψα ὑµῖν, οὐχ ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἀδικήσαντος, οὐδὲ ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἀδικηθέντος, ἀλλ’ ἕνεκεν τοῦ φανερωθῆναι τὴν σπουδὴν ὑµῶν τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν πρὸς ὑµᾶς ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.

Paul’s Ministry to the Corinthians as the apostle to the Gentiles:

Paul goes to Arabia to learn about the spiritual life from the Lord Jesus Christ, 37-40 A.D.

Galatians 1:15-18. And he was pleased [God the Father in eternity past] when he had selected me [in the divine decree for a special job as the greatest apostle], out from my mother’s womb [based on the omniscience of God] and had elected [in eternity past] me through His grace. (16) to reveal His Son in me [in his soul] that I might proclaim Him among the gentiles [as the apostle to the gentiles], I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood [with people], (17) nor did I go to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia [between Acts 9:22 and 23] and returned once more to Damascus [Acts 9:23b-25]. (18) Then, three years later [after his conversion] I went up to Jerusalem [first trip to Jerusalem after his conversion] to become acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.

On his 2nd missionary journey, Paul and Silas departed Antioch of Syria, went through Cilicia and Southern Galatia. At Lystra, a city of Galatia, Timothy joined the team. These three then went to Troas and then onto Macedonia where churches were established in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. Silas and Timothy were left in Macedonia while Paul having to leave Berea hastily went to Athens. Timothy delivers a report about the Thessalonians to Paul in Athens. From Athens, Timothy is sent back to the Thessalonians to encourage them through his teaching. Paul having left Athens, goes onto Corinth. While in Corinth, Timothy and Silas arrived bringing some funds from the Philippian Church and a report regarding the Church in Thessalonica. After hearing the report, Paul wrote 1st Thessalonians circa 52 AD, and 2nd Thessalonians a short while later. After spending about 18 months in Corinth, Paul set sail for Ephesus for a short stop before returning to Antioch, Syria.

Acts 18:18-22. Paul having remained [in Corinth] many days longer [18 months], took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for [Antioch] Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea [the eastern seaport of Corinth], he [Paul] had his hair cut for he was keeping a vow [the Nazarite Vow]. (19) They came to Ephesus, and he left them [Priscilla and Aquila] there. Now, he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. (20) When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, (21) but taking leave of them, and saying, ‘I will return to you again if God wills,’ and he set sail from Ephesus. (22) When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church [in Jerusalem], and went down to Antioch, Syria [This ended officially his 2nd Missionary Journey].

2 Corinthians 7:13

Because of this [the good report of Titus] we have been comforted [encouraged]. In addition to our own comfort, we had even more happiness upon [seeing] the happiness of Titus because his [human] spirit has been refreshed by all of you [by their response to his teaching].

διὰ τοῦτο παρακεκλήµεθα. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ παρακλήσει ἡµῶν περισσοτέρως µᾶλλον ἐχάρηµεν ἐπὶ τῇ χαρᾷ Τίτου, ὅτι ἀναπέπαυται τὸ πνεῦµα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πάντων ὑµῶν·

Paul was comforted at the point of the coming of Titus with the result that he kept on being comforted, encouraged by the good news. Explaining the good news: The Corinthians got back into fellowship and started to respond to the Word and were comforted by so doing. When they were comforted, Titus was comforted and encouraged. When Titus was comforted and came to Paul and told Paul, Paul was comforted and encouraged. This is more or less the chain of events which is recorded here.

The article on Titus was taken from an unknown writer on the internet.

“Titus was an early church leader, a trusted companion of the apostle Paul, and a faithful servant of the Lord. Titus was a Gentile (Galatians 2:3) who was led to faith in Christ by Paul (Titus 1:4). He was drawn to the ministry and became a co-worker with Paul, accompanying him and Barnabas from Antioch to Jerusalem (Titus is included in the “other believers” of Acts 15:2). At the Jerusalem Council, Titus would have been a prime example of a born-again Gentile Christian. Titus was living proof that the rite of circumcision was unnecessary for salvation (Galatians 2:3).

Later, Titus went to Corinth to serve the church there (2 Corinthians 8:6, 16-17). On Paul’s third missionary journey, which took place from A.D. 53 to 57, Paul arrived in Troas and expected to meet Titus there (2 Corinthians 2:12-13). Not finding his friend, Paul left for Macedonia. Titus rejoined Paul in Philippi and gave him a good report of the ministry in Corinth (2 Corinthians 7:6-7, 13-14). When Titus returned to Corinth, he hand-delivered the Epistle of 2 Corinthians and organized a collection

for needy saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:10, 17, 24).

Several years later, Titus and Paul traveled to the island of Crete, where Titus was left behind to continue and strengthen the work. Titus’s task was administrative, mostly: he was to maintain sound doctrine and “straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town” (Titus 1:5). When Artemas and Tychicus arrived in Crete to direct the ministry, Paul summoned Titus to join him in Nicopolis, a city in the province of Achaia in western Greece (Titus 3:12). . .

As a Gentile Christian, Titus would have been particularly effective in combating the heresy of the Judaizers. The Judaizers insisted that all Christians were bound by the Mosaic Law. Usually, the Judaizers honed in on circumcision: Gentiles must be circumcised, they said, in order to truly be saved (see Paul’s refutation of this teaching in Galatians 5:1-6). Titus knew this teaching well, for the subject had come up in Syrian Antioch, leading to the Jerusalem Council, of which he had been a part.

Titus was a faithful servant of the Lord and a dedicated aide to Paul. He must have been trustworthy and dependable, since Paul appointed him to lead works in Corinth, Crete, and Dalmatia. Indeed, Paul calls him “my partner and fellow worker” (2 Corinthians 8:23). Knowing the difficult situations in both Corinth and Crete, we can infer that Titus was an insightful man who could handle problems with grace.”

Refreshment:

It is a great encouragement to any teacher when a student succeeds. Many Christians fail in their spiritual lives and this fact tends to be discouraging for those who faithfully teach God’s word. However, when the Christians of a church learn and apply God’s word well, it encourages the communicator in his teaching ministry.

While refreshment usually connotes restoring physical strength with food and drink, in the Bible it refers to the restoration of the spiritual strength of a person, to revive divine viewpoint and capacity for life. The ministry of refreshment is not only the ministry of the pastor-teacher who refreshes the souls of believers through his teaching, but also the ministry of all mature believers providing refreshment through their generosity, kindness, unconditional love, divine viewpoint and wisdom.

Philemon 7, 20. For I have come to have much happiness [from you] and encouragement because of your [Philemon’s] love, because the tender affections [emotions responding to the doctrine in the believer’s soul] of the saints have been refreshed [the Greek verb, anapauo] through you, brother [Philemon treated Christians with unconditional love]. (20) Okay, brother, I wish to have benefit from you in the Lord [experiential sanctification should reflect positional truth]; refresh [anapauo] my tender affections [emotions responding to correct application of doctrine] because of [our relationship with] Christ.

If Philemon passes this test and refreshes Paul’s inner being through his forgiveness of Onesimus, and continues to advance to the point of maximum glorification of God, then Paul would have received much benefit from having taught Philemon. In the New Testament two different Greek words are used to reveal the doctrine of refreshment. When Paul mentions refreshment both in Philemon 7 and verse 20, (see also 1 Corinthians 16:18 and 2 Corinthians 7:13) he uses the verb ‘ἀναπαύω’ (anapauo). ‘Anapauo’ is a compound verb meaning to cease, for example to cease work or take a break from strenuous activity. In terms of refreshment for the believer, this occurs when he is given a break from tiring human viewpoint, and regains new strength in the divine viewpoint expressed by the mature believer.

Matthew 11:28. Come unto me [Christ speaking] all that are heavy and laden [with the burden of trying to work for salvation], and I will give you rest [since salvation is a grace gift from God, the person does not need to work for it]].

Paul also reveals the doctrine of refreshment in 2 Timothy 1:16 using the word ἀναψύχω (anapsucho) which has the literal meaning to revive the soul, "May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, because he frequently refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains." The more advanced a believer is in the spiritual life, the greater is his capacity for life, love and happiness, and so greater is his ministry of refreshment.

The Greek word splanchnon has as one of its meanings, tender affections, an emotional response to some worthiness in another. A doctrinal believer will appreciate the doctrinal application of other believers. So, the Colossi believers were able to appreciate Philemon’s wisdom, compassion and unconditional love. This appreciation produced a good emotional response which refreshed their souls.

Proverbs 23:15, 16. My son [Solomon], if your right lobe [of your soul] is wise then my right lobe [of my soul] will be happy; (16) my reins [emotions] will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

This passage in Proverbs explains how refreshment works. The father’s soul and emotions are refreshed by his wise son who communicates what is right. Happiness enters the father’s soul when his son also possesses wisdom in his soul, with the father’s emotions responding to his son’s integrity.

2 Corinthians 7:14

For if I had boasted to him [Titus] about you, and I did [Paul boasted that the Corinthians would respond to his reprimand], I am not ashamed [of my boasting since the Corinthians did get back into fellowship and had resumed their spiritual lives], but just as everything we said to you was true [the first three letters with emphasis upon the 3rd non-canonical letter of extreme reprimand], so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.

ὅτι εἴ τι αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ ὑµῶν κεκαύχηµαι οὐ κατῃσχύνθην, ἀλλ’ ὡς πάντα ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἐλαλήσαµεν ὑµῖν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ καύχησις ἡµῶν ἡ ἐπὶ Τίτου ἀλήθεια ἐγενήθη.

2 Corinthians 7:15

And his [Titus’] emotional rapport and loyalty [as they listened and responded to his teaching, he became very loyal to them] is all the greater [a depth of feeling that comes from a loyalty to a responding congregation] when he remembers [Titus will never forget their response] that you were all obedient [respect for his authority], receiving him [they embraced mentally his ministry] with respect [which was associated with concentration] and with agitation of mind. [It didn’t come easy for they were often upset with him].

καὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑµᾶς ἐστιν ἀναµιµνῃσκοµένου τὴν πάντων ὑµῶν ὑπακοήν, ὡς µετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόµου ἐδέξασθε αὐτόν.

2 Corinthians 7:16

I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you [because the majority are now back in fellowship and responding to Paul’s ministry; as long as this continues, Paul will have confidence in their spiritual growth].

χαίρω ὅτι ἐν παντὶ θαρρῶ ἐν ὑµῖν.

2 Corinthians 8

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Written by: Max Klein

MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES

A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein