MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Seven Baptisms
Written by: Max Klein
Baptism means identification or association:
Introduction:
1. This meaning began in Homer's time. Homer wrote of the one-eyed giant, Cyclops who had trapped Ulysses and his men in a cave and was eating them one at a time. The ingenious Ulysses devised a plan. He had his men sharpen a large log and together they rammed this log into the eye of the one-eyed Cyclops rendering him blind. They identified (baptized) the sharpened log with Cyclops’ eye which changed Cyclops from a seeing giant to a blind giant. Having blinded the Cyclops, they were able to maneuver their way out of the cave. Another example by Homer: Homer's Odyssey, book 9, used baptism for hot metal identified (baptized) with water when a smith dipped a piece of hot iron into water. This is how a blacksmith would temper swords in the ancient world. After this identification, the sword was made stronger and so less likely to bend.
2. Xenophon said that the Spartan military recruits after finishing infantry training would identify (baptize) their spears with pig’s blood. They would run by a barrel of pig’s blood and thrust their spears into this blood. This ritual, identified their spears with killing and the soldier’s readiness for combat with the enemy.
3. Euripides used the word for a ship identified with the bottom of the sea when it sank. Before sinking, the ship was valuable; after sinking it had no value at all.
4. So "baptize" in the classical Greek meant to identify one thing with another so that the characteristics of the original thing were altered. Therefore, the interpretation of the word "baptism" is identification with something that brings about a change.
5. There are a number of cognates related to this Greek word such as bapto, baptizo, baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and embapto. A few examples follow:
6. John 13:26, “Jesus then answered, ‘That is the one for whom, I shall dip [the future of the Greek word bapto] the morsel and give it to him. So, when he had dipped [the aorist participle of bapto; the sop now takes on a new meaning that of honor] the sop [the morsel], He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”
To give someone a sop [a special bit of food usually a piece of bread or meat with a tasty sauce] was the highest honor of a banquet. At a banquet a special piece of bread or meat was prepared along with a special sauce for the guest of honor who would then honor someone by giving it to that person. Jesus as the guest of honor took this sop and dipped it into a special sauce and gave it to Judas. In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ honored Judas as a member of the family of God, and for his ministry as an apostle to the Lost Sheep of Israel. This honor should have given Judas second thoughts regarding his plan to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin.
7. Matthew 3:7, “but when he [John the Baptizer] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism [identification: the Greek word baptisma], he said to them, “You brood of vipers [poisonous snakes], who warned you to flee from the wrath to come [Baptism of Fire: identification with the fire of Torments and then the Lake of Fire]?”
8. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ, let us advance to maturity, not laying again the foundation [of the basics such as]: a change of thinking about dead works [just as an unbeliever must have a change of mind about Christ to obtain salvation, so the believer must have a change of mind about legalism (dead works) in order to obtain the spiritual life], and of faith toward God [Faith-Rest Drill], (2) doctrine of baptisms [the Greek word baptismos; a reference to the seven types of baptism as found in Scripture] as well as the laying on of hands [ritual rebound in the age of Israel], and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment [the Great White Throne Judgment].
9. Matthew 3:1, “In those days John the Baptizer [the Greek word baptistes; when John baptized someone into the Jordan River, the converts were identified with the plan of God and his kingdom.] came proclaiming [as a herald] in the desert of Judea.”
There are two categories of identification in Scripture namely an actual identification or a real baptism and a representative identification or a ritual baptism which uses water.
The four real or actual identifications with something that has significance.
1. The Baptism of Moses: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 presents the baptism of Moses, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were baptized [the Greek word baptizo] into Moses in the cloud [the Lord] and in the sea." This was a real identification in which Moses was identified with the Lord and the open path through the Red Sea and the Jews were identified with Moses. By the way, none of the Jews got wet, only Egyptian unbelievers who were immersed in the water as a means of death.
2. The Baptism of the Cross is found in Matthew 20:22, “But Jesus answered [Salome by addressing her sons] and said, “You [plural: a reference to James and John] do not know what you [James and John] ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink of the cup [bear the punishment of all the sins of the world] that I am about to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism [the sins of the world identified with Christ followed by the Father judging them] that I am baptized with [identified with]?” They [James and John] said to Him, “We are able. [the dumbest statement that James and John ever made]” [I selected the longer text as did Jerome.]
3. 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 [aorist participle] 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 [main verb] 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 [the humanity of Christ was given a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].
Romans 6:3-9:
Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven], 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 (á½…σοι) 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.
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 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 proto-type 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. 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 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 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 “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” (Luke 23:46). 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.
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: 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].
Romans 6:6: 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, 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 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 we are now ready for application, verses 12 & 13 specifically.
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 recognise and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in verses 11-13.
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 [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 [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 [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And He [the Father] made Him who knew no sin [perfection] to be a sin offering [imputation of sins on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [current positional truth].” To live with God forever means you must have His life, and you must be as righteous as He is.
Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven] nor depth [nothing in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life in Christ is for all eternity!
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 experience in the Christian life 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 [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 as per 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, and therefore it is 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 as per 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 (1 John 5:18-20), 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.
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11, “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 also 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 [Thomas], ‘I am the way, 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.’”
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he (God the Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin (perfection) to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth]. Sharing the righteousness of Christ, we become the objects of God the Father’s love as per Romans 8:39.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] 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 [Father].”
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5, “By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons to Himself through Christ Jesus our Lord according to the grace purpose of His will.”
5. Sonship, Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons 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], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [pass all three stages of undeserved suffering], 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, 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. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever. We represent ourselves before God as royal priests.] (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 (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope [the second door of hope for the Church Age believer—a personal sense of destiny—by which we enter the adult spiritual life] 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 for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself. (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 a perfect high priest].”
9. Royalty, 1 Peter 2:9, “ But you and only you are an elect [elect by God the Father] race [as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [God’s entity: a nation of priests: every Christian is a priest], 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 [spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light [his plan];”
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 [Old 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 compatibility with experiential righteousness. 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 an experience, emotions or ecstasies.
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, we progress in our spiritual life, but we cannot improve it 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.
A few points of explanation:
1. The conclusion from positional truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life.
2. In Romans 7:1-4 where we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is 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, our new husband.
3. 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.
4. The Baptism of Fire:
Matthew 3:11, “On the one hand I [John the Baptizer] baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to lace [loosen, remove]. He himself will baptize by means of the Holy Spirit [a reference to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age] and by means of fire [a reference to the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].”
Baptism of Fire: The baptism of fire (identification with fire) is defined as the judgment of unbelievers both Jew and gentile at the Second Advent. They will be removed from the earth and placed in fire for 1000 years until the Last Judgment, Luke 3:16-17; Mathew 25:31, 33. The analogy to the Baptism of Fire is found in Matthew 24:36-41. The one left in the field is the mature believer; the one taken is the unbeliever.
Parables of the Baptism of Fire:
1. The wheat and the tares (the unbelievers), Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.
2. The good and bad fish (unbelievers), Matthew 13:47-50.
3. The ten virgins: five wise, five foolish (the unbelievers), Matthew 25:1-13.
4. The sheep and the goats (the unbelievers), Mathew 25:31-46.
5. The talent test, Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man represents the unbeliever.
If Jesus Christ had not been rejected by the Jewish people, then the age of Israel would have continued until its completion (the Tribulation completes the age of Israel). (However, they did reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah and so the client nation was destroyed, and the Church age was intercalated that is inserted before the age of Israel was complete.) After the completion of the age of Israel at the end of the Tribulation, comes the wrath of God namely the Baptism of Fire when the Lord removes both Jewish and gentile unbelievers from the earth and identifies them with fire forever. After which, the Millennial reign begins.
The Three Ritual Baptisms. None are extant at the present time. They are representative identifications in which water is used as a training aid to represent some principle of doctrine.
1. The Baptism of John is found in Matthew 3:2-6, “Saying, ‘Change your thinking [regarding Christ] for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ [The future king was already on the earth] (3) For this is what was communicated through Isaiah, the prophet saying, ‘The voice of one [John the Baptizer] proclaiming loudly in the desert [of Judea]. Prepare [the aorist tense is a one time-decision] the way of the Lord [an idiomatic expression for salvation]. Keep on making upright [the use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’ (Isaiah 40:3) (4) Now, John himself kept on having a garment of camel’s hair [very uncomfortable] and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then [after John went where God wanted him to be] Jerusalem kept on going out to him [face to face] and all Judea and all the districts around the Jordan. (6) and they were being baptized [identified with the kingdom] by him [under John’s authority] in the Jordan River [where Israel crossed when they entered the land], and they kept on confessing their sins [post-salvation confession of sins].”
MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
Decorations and Rewards for the Christians Who Execute God's Plan
Written by: Max Klein
1. Eating from the Tree of Life:
Revelation 2:7. He who has an ear [capable of perception, but involves motivation and volition], let him hear what the Spirit communicates to the churches. To him who is a winner [overcomes], I will authorize him [predictive future: I will give him the privilege] to eat from the Tree of Life which is in the Paradise of God [in the New Jerusalem].
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The Tree of Life was associated with perfect happiness in the environment of the Garden, as well as the perpetuation of Adam and his wife’s relationship with God in the Garden.
Genesis 2:9. Out of the ground, the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight, and good for food; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Genesis 3:22. Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, and now, he might stretch-out his hand and take from the Tree of [everlasting] Life and eat and live forever.
When man sinned and was driven out of the Garden, he was cut off from the Tree of Life.
Genesis 3:24. So, He drove the man out and at the east of the garden of Eden, He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the Tree of Life.
The tree of life is not seen again by man until the eternal state,
Revelation 2:7. He who has an ear [capable of perception, but involves motivation and volition], let him hear what the Spirit communicates to the churches. To him who is a winner [overcomes], I will authorize him [predictive future: I will give him the privilege] to eat from the Tree of Life which is in the Paradise of God.
Revelation 22:1-2. Then he [the angel] showed me the River of the Water of Life [the first monument of eternal life], bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God [the Father] and from the throne of the Lamb [the Lord’s throne in the New Jerusalem] (2) in the middle of the street of the city [was the River of the Water of Life]; so, on either side of the river, the Tree of Life [the 2nd monument of eternal life] with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations [a memorial that there is no conflict between nations in the eternal state].
Revelation 22:14. Happy are those who wash [perfective present: the use of the Recovery Procedure starting at salvation and continuing throughout their lives] their robes in order that they might have the privilege to the Tree of Life and that they may enter the city [of the New Jerusalem] by the gates.
Paradise:
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1. A Persian word describing a garden where the Parsi partied.
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2. The king’s garden for magnificent parties associated with great happiness was called paradise.
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3. In the New Jerusalem, God will have his own Paradise Club with beautiful gardens for winners only.
At this point, it is important for us to understand why Adam rejected the Tree of Life in the garden for the woman outside of the garden. By creation, man was designed for happiness, and prosperity which was to be perpetuated indefinitely as long as he was positive toward God’s plan. The prohibition to not eat from the fourth tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the only test of obedience. Only disobedience to this one command could destroy their happiness and relationship with God. The tree of life, of course, combined capacity for happiness with immortality (perfect happiness and immortality go together) and could only be lost by a negative action on the part of the man and the woman. In other words, the Tree of Life would be useless to man in the status of spiritual death. And since man died spiritually when he ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, it was absolutely, necessary that the Tree of Life be removed until a future time in eternity.
2. Wreath of Life:
Revelation 2:10. Stop fearing [They were aware of the pending persecution.] that which you are about to suffer. Note that the devil is about to cast some of you into prison in order that you may be tested, and you will have special persecution ten times [ten historical persecutions from 96-305 A.D.]. Keep on being faithful even until death, and I will give you the Wreath of Life.
James 1:12. Happy is the believer who endures testing [passes the three categories of undeserved suffering] 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 respect for the Lord Jesus Christ].
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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. 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 the Holy Spirit. Since the mature believer has both enduring devotion, respect and reverence for God, he has the power, the inner strength to handle any test or suffering in life. 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 Ten Problem-Solving Devices resulting in the completion of the spiritual life.
The Latin ‘Corona’ was the highest decoration in the army and is the exact equivalent of the Greek ‘Stephanos’ (wreath). The Romans had many different crowns as decorations in the military namely, the ‘corona obsidionalis or grammania’, a wreath of golden strands was the highest and rarest decoration. This was given for breaking a blockade or raising (removing) a siege. One example of actions leading to awarding of a grass crown would be a general who broke the blockade around a beleaguered Roman army. The ‘corona civica’ was a crown made of golden oak leaves which was awarded to a soldier who saved the life of another citizen in battle and held the ground where this deed occurred for the rest of the day. The ‘corona navalis’ was the highest decoration in the navy for destroying an enemy fleet or the first marine to board an enemy ship. The ‘corona muralis’ was awarded to the first soldier who scaled the wall of a besieged city. The ‘corona vallaris’ was awarded to the first soldier to scale an enemy rampart. The ‘corona aurea’ was a golden crown for gallantry in battle or any heroic act in battle. The ‘corona triumphalis’ was awarded to a victorious commander. Each crown included a monetary reward, freedom from taxes, children educated at public expense, a statue of the person erected in the public square, and a home wherever you wanted it built. The crown is used by analogy for the greatest honors God can give to believers. There were also decorations worn around the neck, decorations on a baldric worn over the chest, and various spears as rewards.
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3. Wreath of Righteousness: When the Christian completes the spiritual life and subsequently receive the fullness of blessing from God, he will wear both the crown (wreath) of life and the crown (wreath) of righteousness. These two wreaths go together. If you have one, you will have the other. So, as a result of having obtained maximum capacity righteousness, the Christian will receive the wreath of righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:7-8. I have fought that honorable fight [advanced through the stages of spiritual growth], I have finished the course [Paul reached spiritual maturity and had passed Evidence Testing], I have guarded the doctrine [as first priority in the soul]. (8) In the future a wreath of righteousness [escrow blessings for eternity] is reserved for me [on deposit since eternity past], which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day [at the Evaluation Throne of Christ] and not only to me but to all those who love His appearing [mature believers, whose thorough understanding of doctrine enables them to be occupied with Christ].
Capacity righteousness is the capacity for true love in the soul. Our spiritual life must have a love based on a righteousness that has capacity from the word of God. True love is always the result of true righteousness in the soul. All capacity for true love is soul capacity-righteousness, not legalism.
This crown (wreath) is used to describe the capacity for the greater blessings in resurrection body that the winner believer receives. God has given special capacity to winner believers to enjoy special blessings forever and ever.
2 Peter 3:13. But according to His announced promise [Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Revelation 21:1], we [the believers with doctrine] are anticipating [as wonderful] the new heavens and the new earth [after the Millennium and forever] in which righteousness is at home [the believer in his resurrection body will enjoy perfect righteousness].
This promise means that we are going to be blessed forever and ever and the blessing is going to be so great that we will never recall a bad memory in time. True righteousness and happiness go together.
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4. Title of Aristocracy:
Revelation 2:17. He who has an ear, must hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [to the spiritual winner], to him [dative of advantage] I will give [blessing] from the hidden manna [metabolized doctrine hidden in the soul], and I will give him a white pebble, and a new title written on the pebble which no one knows but he who receives it [in time, but in eternity all will know].
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Explanation:
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The juries in the ancient world voted privately. They had a box which was passed around in which were black pebbles and white pebbles, and each one selected a pebble and put it on the table. A black pebble was guilty; a white pebble was a vote for acquittal. The white pebble here is the Lord’s vote for acquittal for the believer. There is no condemnation, no lake of fire for the believer in Christ as per Romans 8:1; we are acquitted because we have personally believed in Jesus Christ. The Lord votes with a white stone to adopt the convert into the family of God with the potential of obtaining the highest possible aristocracy. Those who reject Him as their savior get a black pebble; those who accept Him through faith in His person get a white pebble. Either a white pebble with no title (adopted into God’s family with a resurrection body, but not into the elite aristocracy of the eternal state) or a white pebble with a title written on it (a title of eternal aristocracy).
Every aristocratic Roman would adopt a son at age 14 whether it be his own natural son or another young man with great integrity and ability. Once the adoption ceremony was complete, the adopted son was given a new name of aristocracy and had the right of marriage, military service, and had the right to access his father’s fortune. Even the Roman emperors used this system of adoption to guarantee greatness in succession. For example, Emperor Nerva began the golden age of the Roman Empire in 96 A.D. He adopted Trajan, and Trajan adopted Hadrian, and Hadrian adopted Antonius Pius, and Antonius Pius adopted Marcus Aurelius, the last great emperor of the golden age. None of these adoptions involved their own sons.
On this white pebble is the title that Jesus Christ will bestow on the winner-believers at the Evaluation Seat of Christ. This title means that the believer will be part of an elite eternal aristocracy. And to have a white pebble with a new title of aristocracy on it is about as high an honor as one could possibly obtain based upon one’s impact on both human and angelic history, not only an honor, but many wonderful privileges and rewards related to it. (The only higher honor would be the ‘Order of the Morning Star’ to be explained later.)
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5. Rule over nations in the Millennium:
Revelation 2:26. He who is victorious [in the spiritual life] and keeps My assignments until the end [of his life], To him I will give authority over the nations [as a blessing in the Millennium].
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6. The Uniform of Glory:
Revelation 3:4. But you have a few people in Sardis [a group of mature believers] who have not soiled their garments [the uniform of honor worn by the mature believer in time]; in fact, they will walk with Me in whites [the uniform of glory in eternity], because they are worthy [have passed all the undeserved suffering tests].
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7. The Order of the Morning Star:
Revelation 2:28. Furthermore, I will give him [The Order of the] Morning Star.
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Explanation: “Furthermore, I will give to him [the mature believer, the winner in time] the order of the morning star,” the highest decoration for life on this earth, the highest decoration for historical impact and for glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ. The uniform of glory worn over the resurrection body as per Revelation 3:4, 5 and the decoration which goes with it, the Order of the Morning Star, means that there will be a presentation in the court of heaven before the Father and his angels for a few believers out of every generation (Revelation 3:5), those who make-up the pivot, those who advance to maturity, and pass Evidence Testing.
But that is only a part of the story, because the person who is making the great contribution to history is the believer who advances to maturity. As goes the believer so goes the client nation to God, and the believer living in the divine power system contributes to the uptrend of the client nation, and the believer living in the cosmic system contributes to the downtrend of history. It is the historical impact of the unknown factor, the unknown factor being as goes the believer so goes the historical trends of any given generation. So, at the 2nd Advent logically there will be a presentation to the entire population of the world of every person who has the Order of the Morning Star and the Uniform of Glory. The authority of this particular decoration is phenomenal because for one thousand years of perfect environment on the earth namely the Millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Christians who have the Order of the Morning Star on their Uniforms of Glory will rule nations with a rod of iron (perfect justice). And then in the eternal state as well there will obviously be many unique privileges which will belong to the believer who wears the Order of the Morning Star on his Uniform of Glory.
8. Title of Aristocracy registered in the Book of Life:
Revelation 3:5. Thus, the winner [he who overcomes] will be clothed in white garments [a reference to the translucent uniform of glory worn by those who hold the Order of the Morning Star]; and I will never blot out his title [of aristocracy ] from the Book of eternal Life, in fact I will acknowledge [the presentation of these winners in the court of heaven while the Tribulation is occurring on the earth] his title [of aristocracy] before My Father and before His angels.
At birth, every member of humanity is written in the Book of Eternal Life. However, every unbeliever is blotted out of the Book of Life at his physical death. This we have taught before. So, even though all believers remain in the Book of Eternal Life only a few will have title prefixing their names, a title of aristocracy.
9. Acknowledged before God the Father and his angels:
Revelation 3:5. Thus, the winner [he who overcomes] will be clothed in white garments [a reference to the translucent uniform of glory worn by those who hold the Order of the Morning Star]; and I will never blot out his title [of aristocracy ] from the book of eternal life, in fact I will acknowledge [the presentation of these winners in the court of heaven while the Tribulation is occurring on the earth] his title [of aristocracy] before My Father and before His angels.
10. A Pillar in the Eternal Historical Record Center: titles emblazoned on the Uniform of Glory which allows access to the New Jerusalem:
Revelation 3:12. The winner, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God [historical record center], furthermore, it [the pillar] will never ever depart outside of the Temple [the Christian’s record of great achievement will never be removed from the Temple of God]; also I will emblazon on him [on his uniform of glory] the title of My God [the Father: indicating the fulfillment of his plan], and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem [the pass to enter into the satellite city of the eternal state], which will descend from heaven from My God, and My new title [is emblazoned on him which title provides access to the New Jerusalem].
A few points for explanation:
1. While the temple of heaven is the record department of history, the pillars found in the temple are the permanent records of Church Age heroes, the believers in this dispensation who advance to maturity and have maximum impact in history.
2. The Bible must be interpreted in the time in which it was written, so obviously our interpretation of a pillar in the temple must go back to the modus operandi of the ancient world where temple-pillars were chapters in history books.
3. Take, for example, the Temple of Artemis (Diana in Latin) where there was recorded history. This temple in Ephesus was 375 feet long and 180 feet wide, a rather large record-keeping area. Inside of the temple were 127 pillars on which were recorded the deeds of famous kings and other famous people. On these pillars were hung priceless gifts, trophies of the kings involved. There were tablets (inscribed slabs) and records engraved telling of the deeds of these kings and other heroes. In the analogy, the priceless gifts which were on the pillars depict the decorations, the rewards which belong to the mature believer at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Evaluation Platform of Christ). The written biography depicts the eternal history of mankind with emphasis on the true heroes of history.
11. Wreath of Glory: This crown is awarded to pastors who faithfully study and communicate Bible doctrine to their respective congregations. The mature pastor through his personal study and teaching, advances to maturity and leads his congregation there as well. He is a prepared person who emphasizes doctrine and correct theology. He focuses on the message, not his personality.
1 Peter 5:2-4. Shepherd the flock of God with you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily on the basis of the will of God; and not for sordid gain but with a ready mentality; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears [at the Rapture], you will receive the unfading Crown of glory.
Philippians 4:1. Therefore, my brethren, loved ones [members of the congregation who are respected for their faithfulness], deeply desired ones, my happiness and my crown [of glory], keep on being stabilized [winners of the crown of righteousness and life].”
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20. For who is our hope or happiness or crown of boasting [glory]? Is it not you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? (20) For you are our glory and our happiness.
At the judgment seat of Christ (Evaluation Platform of Christ), those who have attained spiritual maturity are the crown of glory for the pastor. The pastor’s boasting or crown of glory is received because certain members of his congregation do two things by listening to his teaching of the Word. They take the giant step to spiritual self-esteem and then the victory step to spiritual maturity and ultimately pass Evidence Testing.