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 (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.
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
Ephesians: Chapter Five
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
2 Chronicles 7:14, “And if my people [a client nation] who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven; will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” None of the four conditions for restoration were executed!
Lamentations 3:44, “You [God] have covered yourself with a cloud [when the 4th and 5th cycles of discipline are being administered: economic disaster followed by tyranny] so that no prayer can pass through.”
Lamentations 3:22-23, “The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease for His compassions never fail; (23) They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Jeremiah weeping wrote Lamentations in 586 BC just after the Southern Kingdom along with Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed by the Chaldeans.
Is God the Father, the Lord, Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit ever unhappy? Well, then since we have God’s thinking in our souls, we should never be unhappy. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “At all times, be happy. Habitually, pray. In everything, give thanks for this is the will of God [the Father] in Christ Jesus for you.”
Ephesians 5:1
Therefore [a transitional particle: as a result of Ephesians 4:17-32; which dealt with arrogant preoccupation with self and others], become [believers involved in subjective arrogance] imitators of your God [This is a reference to the humanity of our Lord, Jesus Christ as he lived on the earth for 33 years. He is our role model for the spiritual life.] as beloved children.
γίνεσθε οὖν µιµηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά,
God the Father knew that the humanity of Christ would be under constant attack by satanic forces and that his mission would be the most difficult mission anyone would ever have. Thus, the humanity of Christ would need a much more powerful spiritual life than what Israel had in the Old Testament (The believers in Israel had a powerful spiritual life based on the content of the Old Testament Scriptures and the teachings of the prophets and priests, but they did not have the Filling of the Spirit). The humanity of Christ on the other hand was given the power of the Holy Spirit at birth (Isaiah 11:1-2). Furthermore, he would not only have the power of the Word as it is found in the Old Testament, but also the power of God’s Word as found in the New Testament (As a prophet to the Church, He knew what would be in the New Testament). The spiritual life given to the humanity of Christ had to be extremely powerful in order for Him to fulfill His unique mission of the Cross.
This same spiritual life has been given to us, and since we have the same spiritual life that Christ had, we can learn how to execute this spiritual life by studying the life of Christ. In other words, precedence for our spiritual life is taken from the spiritual life of Christ.
The humanity of Christ, our role model demonstrated perfectly how to execute the spiritual life. Thus, we are to imitate his spiritual life which can be illustrated by a few examples: He was filled with Spirit (Isaiah 11:1-2 prophesized the Filling of the Spirit; Matthew 4:1 tells us that Jesus was led by the Spirit); He grew in grace and doctrine (Luke 2:52); He applied God’s Word (Matthew 4:4-10 in His testing by Satan) and walked by faith (Matthew 8:24: Jesus was so relaxed from his application of God’s word that He slept through a violent storm.); applied impersonal love toward mankind (Luke 23:34a: . . .Father forgive them . . .), and personal love toward God the Father was expressed by the phrase, “not my will be done, but your will” (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:42).
“As Beloved children”: The Baptism (identification) of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation at which time the Holy Spirit identifies us with Jesus Christ as he is seated at the right hand of the Father. The Father has infinite love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and since we are identified with Christ, the Father has the same love for us. Also, as recipients of imputed righteousness, we are beloved by the Father (Romans 3:22).
Ephesians 5:2
Walk [this is a command] in the sphere of love, just as Christ also loved us [impersonally as unbelievers], and delivered himself over [1 Peter 2:24] as a substitute for us [as] a propitiatory meal offering [propitiatory meal offering: his life of 33 years] and a [propitiatory] burnt offering [Jesus was the sacrifice on the cross] to God [the Father] resulting in an aroma of fragrance [His work satisfied the righteousness of God the Father].
καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡµᾶς καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ εἰς ὀσµὴν εὐωδίας.
Both personal love for God and impersonal love have virtue. Because the humanity of Christ had great love for God the Father, He was willing to fulfill the Father’s plan and go to the cross. On the cross Jesus Christ became a substitute for the entire human race in other words He took the judgment for all the sins of humanity. This is the greatest act of impersonal love that will ever occur.
Remember that impersonal love emphasizes the virtue, of the subject. On the cross, Jesus Christ, the subject (He loved us) had the virtue. Virtue means that there were no mental attitude sins in the human soul of Christ, rather there were graciousness, kindness, concern, and a willingness to be our substitute.
Ephesians 5:3-4
But fornication [includes adultery], and all licentiousness [profligacy: akatharsia] or insatiable erotic desires [pleoneksia], should not even being mentioned among you as is protocol for the saints [Church Age believers]. (4) Both obscene language and suggestive talk [in context: foolish talk regarding sexual matters] or coarse joking [ribaldry: course indecent humor] which is not proper; but rather there should be thanksgiving [toward God].
πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία µηδὲ ὀνοµαζέσθω ἐν ὑµῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, 4 καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ µωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, ἀλλὰ µᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
Regarding the Greek word ‘akatharsia’ (mental and moral defilement) in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume III, page 427, the writer has this to say, “Moral uncleanness implies more broadly the defilement of the soul by all kinds of wrongdoing, and more narrowly sexual profligacy.” In this verse, sexual profligacy is in view.
Some Christians like to tell stories and even jokes about licentiousness etc. Paul is telling us that this is not proper for a member of the royal family of God. We should not encourage sexual lust or make light of sexual promiscuity which attack the Laws of Establishment (Divine laws for the protection of the individual, marriage, family, and nation.).
Ephesians 5:5
For you know [Ephesian believer] this [principle of application] if you have learned the pertinent doctrine that every male prostitute [the idolater of the Greek phallic cult], either a pervert or a pimp [or a panderer], who is an idolater will not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ even God. (This is a warning to the Ephesian believers that they could lose their inheritance through promiscuity.)
τοῦτο γὰρ ἴστε γινώσκοντες ὅτι πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης, ὅ ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, οὐκ ἔχει κληρονοµίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ.
The Christian is not to imitate the lifestyle of the morally degenerate unbeliever. If he does, he will lose his eternal inheritance. Though he will lose the inheritance of the greater blessings, he cannot lose his salvation.
Galatians 5:19-21, “Now, the works of the sin nature are plainly seen such as fornication [including adultery], mental and moral defilement from wrong doing and sexual sins related to abnormality and criminality (20) Idolatry, sorcery [drug users], antagonisms, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, religious factions [heresies]. (21) envyings, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you, that those who keep practicing [throughout their lives] similar things as these shall not inherit [the rewards in] the kingdom of God [the eternal state].”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Or do you [Corinthian believers] not know that unrighteousness will not inherit the kingdom of God [loss of their greater blessings in the eternal kingdom]? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters [way of contacting demons], nor adulterers, nor transvestites, nor homosexuals (10) nor thieves, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” This passage is not talking about an act of sin, but a lifestyle. If the believer has a lifestyle of these sins, he cannot advance spiritually. If the believer does not advance spiritually to maturity, he will not inherit the greater blessings in God’s kingdom.
Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words; for because of these [sins of idolatry] the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience [disbelief or unbelief: a reference to unbelievers].
Μηδεὶς ὑµᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις, διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας.
God judges immoral unbelievers and many times this occurs during national judgment. When this judgment occurs, God will usually execute the immoral Christians at the same time under the concept of the sin unto death. Thus, Paul is warning Christians involved in immoral degeneracy not to participate in this form of degeneracy.
Ephesians 2:1-5, “And you being spiritually dead in your transgressions and sins; (2) In which sphere you formerly walked [as unbelievers] according to the lifestyle of the cosmos, according to the supreme ruler of the power of the atmosphere, the spirit [Satan] who is now working in the sons of disobedience [the obstinacy of the unbeliever]].(3) Among whom [unbelievers] also we all formerly had our behavior pattern in the lust of our sin nature, continually doing the desires of the flesh and the thoughts, and were continually by natural inherited endowment the posterity of wrath and punishment, as also the rest of the human race. (4) But the God, being rich in mercy because of his great love with which He loves us, (5) Although we were dead [spiritually] in our transgressions, He has made us alive together in association with the Christ, (by grace you have been completely and permanently saved).”
Ephesians 5:7
Therefore [believers], stop being joint participators with them [the unbeliever in immoral degeneracy as mentioned in verses 5, 6].
µὴ οὖν γίνεσθε συµµέτοχοι αὐτῶν·
Some theologians maintain that the Christian cannot commit the sins of immorality. Yet, in this passage the Ephesian Christians are commanded to stop imitating the immoral unbeliever.
Ephesians 5:8
For you were formerly darkness [spiritually dead], but now you are light in the Lord [current positional sanctification]; begin [since they were not] walking as children of light.
ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν κυρίῳ· ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε
In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ. 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 and furthermore, 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 He enters us into union with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For also by agency of 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 distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [a non-meritorious function: an illustration of faith in Christ] the one Spirit [What God the Holy Spirit provided for us at salvation with emphasis on the Baptism of the Spirit.].” 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 sin [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 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. Current Positional sanctification 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. 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 production, having been created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good production [experiential sanctification] which the God has pre-fabricated, that we in the sphere of them may pattern our life.”
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11-12.
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4.
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5.
5. Sonship, 2 Timothy 2:1.
6. Heirship, Romans 8:16-17.
7. Sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:2.
8. Priesthood, Hebrews 10:10-14.
9. Royalty, 2 Peter 1:11.
What positional truth is not?
1. It is not an experience, nor emotions or ecstatics.
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.
Ephesians 5:9
For the production [gain, advantage] of the light is in all intrinsic good, righteousness and truth:
ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ φωτὸς ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ
When the believer is learning and applying the Word of God his production consists of intrinsic good, righteousness and truth.
Ephesians 5:10
Constantly finding out [learning], what is pleasing to the Lord.
δοκιµάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ κυρίῳ·
The Christian cannot execute God’s plan in ignorance. Executing the Father’s plan and pleasing the Lord requires more than action. To execute the plan of God requires correct motivation and thinking and this can only come about through daily inculcation of God’s word via a qualified pastor who diligently studies from the original languages.
Verses 11-13: There are two ways of correcting Christian degeneracy namely the right way and the wrong way. In the right way, the pastor from the pulpit communicates and warns periodically about these two antithetical types of degeneracy (moral and immoral). In this way, the believer-priest maintains his privacy and in privacy evaluates his life regarding degeneracy. In the wrong way, the legalistic moral believer gossips, maligns about the immoral believer which usually causes the immoral believer to react or to be bullied into departing from immoral degeneracy. If he is bullied into morality, he will join the legalistic moral degenerates. There is only one correct way to recover from degeneracy namely the Christian must use the Recovery Procedure followed by listening to a pastor who is teaching the spiritual life.
Ephesians 5:11
Also [members of the congregation] stop participating in the useless [unproductive] deeds of darkness [the categories of Christian degeneracy] but, instead even [you pastors] expose [expound, condemn] it [pastors must expose Christian degeneracy through the expounding of the Word].
καὶ µὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, µᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε,
The Greek imperative with the Greek negative me means that the Ephesian believers must stop doing something they were doing. The durative present means that this was something started in the past and has continued up to the present: they have been doing something wrong, sinful and evil for a long time.
It is the pastor’s responsibility on the one hand to expose the cosmic system, the different aspects of the sin nature and everything else the Christian must avoid. On the other hand, he must teach what is pleasing to the Lord such as the spiritual life, the Ten Problems Solving Devices, the Laws of Establishment etc.
Ephesians 5:12
For it is a disgrace to even speak [the Christian in moral degeneracy produces the action of the verb] about those things [Christian immoral degeneracy] which are being done by them in secret [sexual sins, drug addiction, substance abuse by the immoral degenerates].
τὰ γὰρ κρυφῇ γινόµενα ὑπí αὐτῶν αἰσχρόν ἐστιν καὶ λέγειν·
After the pastor has thoroughly warned his congregation about immoral degeneracy, it then becomes a private matter between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time, he must warn those who have an inclination toward self-righteousness not to stick their proboscises into the private lives of their fellow believers for Christians in moral degeneracy have a tendency to gossip about those in immoral degeneracy. When Christians in moral degeneracy (in legalism) malign and gossip about those in immoral degeneracy, it caused dissention in the church and sometimes even a split in the church.
In churches where the pastor does not study and therefore is not able to warn the members of the congregation regarding these two antithetical forms of degeneracy, the self-righteous moral degenerates who gossip about the immoral degenerates, and the immoral degenerates who react to the self-righteousness of the moral degenerates, causes the members of the congregation to lose their focus on truth and rather to concentrate on destroying one another.
The Ephesian Church possessed two categories of Christian degenerates namely the legalists (the moral degenerates) and the immoral degenerates. In a large church these two categories will always exist. This kind of problem can only be solved by the pastor communicating and warning about these two forms of degeneracy. However, when the legalists malign and gossip about the immoral types, the problem is only intensified. Bible doctrine circulating in the souls of the believers has infinite power to correct both moral and immoral degeneracy.
Ephesians 5:13
But all things [not only the things of this context but also other matters of the spiritual life] are made known [to the members of the congregation by the teaching of the pastor] when they are being corrected [the present tense of repeated action] by the light [Bible doctrine being taught by the pastor from the pulpit corrects degeneracy when the believer applies the light, Bible doctrine];
τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐλεγχόµενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς φανεροῦται,
Even though Christians may be in a state of degeneracy, they can get into fellowship by naming their sins to the Father in order that might comprehend and metabolize the word of God as taught step by step by a prepared pastor. In this way they can slowly recover from degeneracy.
Ephesians 5:14
For everything [categorical teaching] being revealed [by accurate teaching] is light. Therefore it [the Bible] says, wake up you sleeper [get back into fellowship], and stand up [Philippians 3:14: use the Filling of the Spirit to learn doctrine] out from the status of death [carnal or temporal death: being out of fellowship] and Christ shall shine on you [the execution of the plan of God through consistent learning and application of God’s Word resulting in spiritual growth] (This verse contains a composite quotation from Isaiah 26:19; 52:1; and 60:1; also Paul quotes himself from Romans 13:11)
πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούµενον φῶς ἐστιν. διὸ λέγει, Ἔγειρε, ὁ καθεύδων, καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.
Summary of verses 1-14:
1. The believer is commanded to be an imitator of God (the humanity of Christ). Begin walking in virtue love. (Verses 1, 2)
2. In Ephesus, many believers were imitating the immoral unbeliever. (Verses 3-6)
3. Consequently, the divine mandate of Ephesians 5:7.
4. The principle of contrast: the believer’s former status as an unbeliever contrasted with his present status as a believer. Though the believer in union with Christ should reflex his position in Christ, the Ephesians were not, but committing the same sins of immorality as they committed as unbelievers. (Verse 8)
5. Only the believer executing the will of God can be known by his production. The believer executing the divine mandates is in direct contrast to the believer imitating the unbeliever in immoral degeneracy. (Verses 9-10)
6. Therefore, the importance of the mandate for Christian recovery through Bible doctrine. (Verses 11-13)
7. When the believer recovers from degeneracy, the Lord will shine on him. (verse 14)
Ephesians 5:15
Therefore, understand how accurately you must walk not as fools [as the unwise walk; believers without doctrine or believers not applying doctrine] but as wise [believers applying doctrine which has been learned],
Βλέπετε οὖν ἀκριβῶς πῶς περιπατεῖτε, µὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι ἀλλí ὡς σοφοί,
God the Father demands accuracy in the execution of his plan. Accuracy requires complete and thorough understanding of God’s Word. Then the believer is able to develop and apply wisdom to his experiences and circumstances. If the Christian does not possess Biblical knowledge [epignosis] in his mentality, he will not have wisdom for wisdom is related to the application of knowledge.
Ephesians 5:16
Keep on redeeming [purchasing] the time [the time allotted to each believer], because the days are evil [The Church Age is a time of concentrated evil]. (Romans 12:21: overcoming evil).
ἐξαγοραζόµενοι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι αἱ ἡµέραι πονηραί εἰσιν.
In eternity past, God allotted a certain amount of time to each believer to execute his plan. (Sometimes the believer’s life is cut short. However, this is not a problem since the Father can calculate from his omniscience how far that believer would have advanced if he had been given the appropriate allotted time.) The Christian redeems the time by making everyday count for his advance in the spiritual life. In this way the believer overcomes evil rather than being overcome by evil.
Ephesians 5:17
Therefore, stop becoming fools [Either the believer refuses to learn or refuses to apply what he has learned. So, he has neither wisdom nor common sense.], but keep on understanding what is the will [plan, purpose] of the Lord.
διὰ τοῦτο µὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, ἀλλὰ συνίετε τί τὸ θέληµα τοῦ κυρίου.
Ephesians 5:18
Also, stop being intoxicated with wine by which there is indulgence in sensual pleasure [a disorderly lifestyle of dissipation and preoccupation with self] but keep on being filled [controlled] by agency of the Holy Spirit.
καὶ µὴ µεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύµατι,
This is not a command against drinking in moderation, but a mandate against drunkenness.
Grammar:
1. "Pleroo" means "to fill" in the active voice, "to fulfill a norm, a measure, a standard, a promise or to completely achieve something. It means in classical and koine "to fill up a deficiency" (we do not have the ability to execute the mandates given to us), to fully possess (the Holy Spirit controlling the soul of the believer), to fill with a certain quality (the Holy Spirit provides divine power instead of human power, talent or ability), to fully influence (The Holy Spirit provides motivation for learning, inculcation and metabolization of doctrine).
2. The present tense of "pleroo" is a tendential present. Many of the believers involved have been in a state of inebriation rather than the filling of the Holy Spirit. The tendential present indicates an action which is mandated, but not actually taking place. While at the time of writing this was a tendential present, it now becomes a Durative present for all believers of the Church Age. The Durative or Progressive present tense is for an action or a state of being in the past and continuing in the present. Hence, present linear action sarkt. The passive voice represents the Church age believer as acted upon by God the Holy Spirit under the Filling of the Spirit. The believer then receives the action of the verb. Through the Imperative of Command, God makes a positive demand on the volition of every believer.
3. Then we have Greek preposition en plus the Instrumental of Agency.
4. The absence of the definite article emphasizes the importance of the person involved, and the qualitative aspect of the noun.
Ephesians 5:19
Communicate with each other with psalms [music with Biblical lyrics for example, Great is Thy Faithfulness taken from Lamentations, The ‘Messiah’, Psalms put to music by the Scottish Presbyterian Church], and with hymns [a song of praise with doctrinal lyrics: Amazing Grace] and spiritual songs [the lyrics deal with application of doctrine] and sing and play musical instruments [the Greek word ‘ode’] to the Lord in the sphere of your right lobes [doctrine circulating in the seven compartments of the stream of consciousness].
λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς [ἐν] ψαλµοῖς καὶ ὕµνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευµατικαῖς, ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑµῶν τῷ κυρίῳ,
In Koine Greek, participles are used as imperatives, but not found in either Classical or Hellenistic Greek. In verses 19-21, there are five imperatival participles. These five participles in the present tense are coterminous with the action of the main verb (pleroo: be filled) found in verse 18. In other words, these five imperatival participles can only be obeyed while the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit. (Greek rule: The action of an aorist particle precedes the action of the main verb; the action of the present participle is coterminous with the action of the main verb.
In verse 19, there is worship; in verse 20 there is thanksgiving, and finally in verse 21, there is authority orientation. These mandates must have something to do with redeeming the time. (Ephesians 5:16)
The Greek verb ‘laleo’ generally means to communicate to someone other than oneself. Furthermore, the pronoun heautou can be either reflexive or reciprocal. Thus, the phrase, ‘laleo heautou’ does not mean to communicate to oneself in a reflexive sense, but to communicate to others in a reciprocal sense.
In this verse, we are talking about music in the church. In church music there must be coordination between the melody and the doctrinal lyrics as well as between the instrumentation and the lyrics. In this way singing hymns is not just an emotional activity, but a doctrinal lesson which can easily be recalled through remembrance of the tune. On the other hand, singing a jumpy tune with heretical lyrics is dishonoring to the Lord.
Singing in a church then is a form of worship as long as the believers are filled with the Spirit and are concentrating and coordinating between the tunes and the doctrinal lyrics. On the other hand, neither a believer out of fellowship nor a believer in fellowship devoid of doctrine is able to worship. “God is a Spirit [as such does not possess emotion] and those who worship him must worship by agency of the Spirit and by means of truth [doctrine].” (John 4:24)
Ephesians 5:20
Always be thankful [gnomic present: gratitude is a permanent status of the soul where there is spiritual advance] with reference to all things [testing, blessing, discipline, disaster etc.] to God even the Father through the person our Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:12, 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε ὑπὲρ πάντων ἐν ὀνόµατι τοῦ κυρίου ἡµῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί,
Thanksgiving is that form of worship in which the Church Age believer acknowledges the benefits related to the divine initiative of antecedent grace in eternity past and in time. The divine initiative of antecedent grace in eternity past is the provision of our very own portfolio of invisible assets. The divine initiative of antecedent grace in time is the function of the four spiritual skills. The biblical definition of worship is the basis for the true function of thanksgiving. This definition is given in John 4:24, "God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship by means of the Spirit [filling of the Spirit] and by means of [truth] doctrine." Thanksgiving is worship and an expression of the wonderful functions of the Problem-Solving Devices on the FLOT line of the soul.
All true worship in the Church Age is based on the two power options: the filling of the Holy Spirit and the metabolization of doctrine. The filling of the Holy Spirit plus the metabolization of doctrine plus the Problem-Solving Devices on the FLOT line of the soul and the application of doctrine through the use of the Problem-Solving Devices produces the only true thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is not some shallow, fleeting system of gratitude for something. It is a system of worship of God; it is capacity for worship; it is capacity for life; it is a reflection of the four spiritual skills. Thanksgiving is a moment by moment mental attitude produced by the spiritual skills in the soul. It is a part of the divine viewpoint of life. This attitude is a part of capacity for life and is based on maximum Bible doctrine in the soul. Colossians 2:7, "Having been rooted and having been edified in Him and being stabilized by means of doctrine as you have been taught, overflowing with thanksgiving." There is a relationship between your consistent perception of Bible doctrine and your attitude of thanksgiving toward God. Bible doctrine gives capacity for gratitude. Colossians 1:12, "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us for a share in the endowment of the saints in the light." Thanksgiving is an act of giving thanks, grateful acknowledgement of the benefits of the grace of God. Hence, it is an expression of gratitude toward God based on your doctrinal capacity to appreciate who and what He is. Only winner-believers have capacity for true thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is more than an expression of gratitude, more than appreciation in a human sense. It is appreciation for God. Thanksgiving is first of all directed toward God, and as an overflow it is capacity and appreciation for life.
Thanksgiving is an index of the spiritual status of the believer. The greater the content of metabolized doctrine in the believer's right lobe, the greater the capacity for mental attitude thanksgiving in the life. The increased usage of the Problem Solving-Devices of the protocol plan of God results in increased capacity for thanksgiving toward God.
Thanksgiving is related to all the Problem-Solving Devices. Once you begin to understand rebound by grace, inevitably it becomes an expression of gratitude to God for the forgiveness of sins and restoration to fellowship with God. Thanksgiving is related to the filling of the Holy Spirit as the means of expressing our appreciation to God. Without the filling of the Spirit we cannot even possess true thanksgiving to God. The faith-rest drill results in capacity and expression of thanksgiving. Grace orientation is a continual source of thanksgiving to God. Doctrinal orientation provides greater and greater capacity for thanksgiving until the capacity is so great that God shares his happiness with the believer. A personal sense of destiny is a source of thanksgiving for the believer oriented to the objectives, purpose, and understanding of God's will, plan, and purpose. Personal love for God the Father adds motivational virtue to our thanksgiving. Impersonal love for all mankind relates interpersonal relationships to mental attitude thanksgiving toward God. You are thankful regardless of unjust treatment. Sharing the happiness of God provides tremendous contentment in life, and therefore, thanksgiving and tranquility in every circumstance in life. The ultimate in mental attitude thanksgiving and the overt expression of gratitude toward God comes from occupation with Christ. Without occupation with Christ, capacity for life, or Bible doctrine in the soul, thanksgiving has no meaning. Thanksgiving reaches its peak in personal love for God the Father and occupation with the person of Christ.
Thanksgiving fulfills the divine mandates of 1Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Our passage, Ephesians 5:20, "Always be thankful with reference to all things to God even the Father through the person of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Metabolized doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness produces thanksgiving toward God. 2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." Revelation 7:12, "Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and ability belong to God forever and ever. Amen." Psalm 100:4, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, honor His person."
Thanksgiving is a function of prayer. Ephesians 1:16, "I do not cease giving thanks for you, and I make mention of you in my prayers." Colossians 1:3, "We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you." Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving." Philippians 4:6, "Stop worrying about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Giving causes thanksgiving. 2 Corinthians 9:7-12, "Each one on the basis as he has determined by means of his right lobe so give, not reluctantly, nor from compulsion; for God loves a gracious giver.(8) And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good of intrinsic value deed. (9) Even as it stands written, `He has scattered abroad, He has given to the poor, His righteousness [virtue] abides forever.' (10) Now He that provides graciously the seed to the sower provides graciously for the act of eating, and at the same time multiplies your seed sown and enlarges the harvest of your grace virtue. Because of your generosity, (11) you will be enriched in all things which through us produces thanksgiving to God. (12) Because the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also overflowing through many with thanksgivings to God."
Food should be accepted with thanksgiving. This applies to all food, anytime, anywhere. God has created food to be received with thanksgiving. Thanksgivings before meals is a part of grace orientation with special emphasis on the appreciation of God's logistical grace provision of food. (In addition to thanksgivings, the believer asks God to set the food apart as nourishing before meals protecting the believer's health from any possible impurities.) 1 Timothy 4:3-4, "men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. (4) For everything created by God is beneficial, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving."
Other areas of thanksgiving:
(1). Thanksgiving is often a public acknowledgment or celebration of worship. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the City of David, King David put the Ark into a tent and offered burnt offerings and reconciliation offerings before God (1 Chronicles 16:1) and assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord as per 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. (2). The justice of God demands that the believer being blessed have capacity for that blessing. Capacity for blessing means thanksgiving potential. Thanksgiving potential depends on the amount of Bible doctrine in the soul of the believer, so that the believer who is blessed is occupied with the Giver as well as the gift. And to enjoy the gift, the person who is thankful must be occupied with the Giver. True happiness is loving the Giver more than the gift. True thanksgiving is to be occupied with the Giver more than the gift. Capacity for life is to enjoy the Giver more than the gift. You cannot give thanksgiving for what you do not possess. (3). Thanksgiving is a priestly sacrifice, Psalm 116:17, “To You, I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. And call upon the name of the Lord.” Psalm107:22, “Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing.” Amos 4:5, “Offer a thank-offering also from which is leavened . . . declares the Lord, God.” Hebrews 13:15, “through Him let us be continually offering up a sacrifice of praise to the God, that is a fruit of our lips that gives thanks to His person [acknowledging His fame].” (4). Thanksgiving is the mental attitude of the spiritually adult believer and a demonstration of his capacity. 2 Corinthians 4:15, “For all things are for your benefit [Paul’s teaching regarding the Church age] so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11, “Now he who supplies seed to the sower [capital] and bread for food, he (God) will supply and multiply your store of seed [your capital] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [Christian service]. (11) You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (5). Personal testimonies of mature believers are found in Daniel 2:20, 23, “Daniel said, ‘Let the person of God be blessed forever and ever for wisdom and power belong to Him. (23) To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise for you have given me wisdom and power.” Romans 1:8, “First of all I thank my God through Jesus Christ concerning all of you because your faith is celebrated in the entire world.” 1 Corinthians 1:4, “I always thank my God on your behalf for the grace of God which has been given to you in Christ Jesus [current positional truth]. Philippians 1:3, 4, “Always in my every prayer for all of you when offering prayer with inner happiness. Because of your contribution [monetary] from the first day until now, for the purpose of spreading the gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:3, “I thank my God whom I serve with a pure conscience, the way my fathers did [Paul and his fathers were a blessing to those in their periphery and to their nations] as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.” Jesus Christ, the God-Man offered thanksgiving from his humanity to the Father for answering His prayer regarding the resuscitation of Lazarus. John 11:41, “So, they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.” (6). Believers who are positive to doctrine are motivated to give thanksgiving regarding others, 1 Thessalonians 3:9, “For what thanks can we render to God in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account.”
Ephesians 5:21
Be subordinating yourselves [in the congregation] to another [recognize the structure of authority in the Church and submit to your right pastor] because of respect [absence of the article: the high quality: revere, awe] for Christ.
ὑποτασσόµενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ.
The middle voice presents the subject as participating in the action of the verb. The members of the congregation submit to another of similar kind, the pastor and the action comes back and benefits the producer of the action. As in James 5:16, the Greek word allelon does not mean ‘to one another,’ but to another of a similar kind. In this passage the Christian member of a Church must submit to the authority of his Christian pastor-both are Christians, but with different spiritual gifts.
Passage Ephesians 5:22-33.
When a minister is conducting a wedding service for unbelievers, he should never use this passage since it applies to Church Age believers only. No unbeliever could fulfill the phrase “as unto the Lord” as found in verse 22 and the clause, “just as the Lord loved the Church and gave himself as a substitute for her” (verse 25). As a matter of fact only mature believers have the ability to obey these commands; growing believers should be challenged to advance to spiritual maturity in order to fulfill these mandates.
Furthermore, these commands found only in Ephesians were never given to any Old Testament believer. Moses, for example was never given the command found in Ephesians 5:25 since to execute these commands requires the power of the ‘mystery doctrines’ as found in the New Testament Epistles and the power of the Filling of the Holy Spirit. So, this passage was designed for Church Age believers only.
In the Old Testament both unbeliever-marriage and believer-marriage were under the Laws of Establishment whereas in the Church Age, the Christian marriage is not only under the Laws of Establishment, but is related to the spiritual life as well. Thus, the standard of believer-marriage in the Church Age was raised to the highest possible level. This makes Christian marriage in the Church Age unique.
Why did God raise the standard of marriage in this age? To answer this question one must understand something about the angelic conflict which began in eternity past and is still being fought at present. In this conflict, Satan is trying to prove that he is as great as God or even greater than God, “I will make myself like the Most-High” (Isaiah 14:14b).
In order to do this, it is inevitable that Satan will attempt to impugn God’s character and to criticize and attack whatever God designs or creates. In this passage we are only concerned about one such criticism or attack. Even though there is no literal statement in Scripture regarding Satan’s attack against marriage, there is sufficient data for us to deduce that he does.
In the garden, God created two perfect people as a married couple in perfect environment and since God is a God of orderliness, he always establishes a system of authority wherever two or more people exist. So, in this marriage, Adam was given the authority over his wife, Ishah. Eventually, Ishah usurped Adam’s authority by carrying on a private dialogue with Satan and then making the first decision to take and eat the forbidden fruit. After doing this she took another fruit and gave it to Adam, in effect commanding him to eat it, which he did. Thus, by reversing their roles in marriage, the perfect marriage as designed by God had failed.
All through human history the seed of Satan, the unbeliever, criticizes and attacks marriage. “Look at all the unhappy marriages,” they say. “You don’t need to get married to have sex; communal living, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, masturbation are better options.” To answer these criticisms and attacks against marriage, God demonstrates throughout history that sex is designed to function in marriage only and that marriage is a perfect creation. The weak link is not in the design, but with the failure of the individual people in each marriage.
However, in the Old Testament, no marriage was great enough to completely defeat Satan’s attack and argument against marriage. So, in the Church Age God raised the standards of marriage to a supernatural level. “Wives obey your husbands in all things as unto the Lord” and “Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her.” With the spiritual life given to the Church Age believer, some Christians in marriage do obey these mandates. In so doing, they prove once and for all that marriage is a perfect design by a perfect God.
In this perfect design true love can exist. The true love of the husband and wife are different however. His is an aggressive love; hers is a responding one. His love includes enduring devotion, an intense love, loyalty, faithfulness and consecration to the Biblical principles of marriage. Her love is characterized by esteem, respect, honor (which is her response to his integrity), consideration (careful thought for him and meditation on him; in other words her husband is always in her thoughts), partiality (in her scale of values regarding human relationship he is number one), and deference (her willingness to submit to his will, opinions and judgments).
True love therefore, is based on the thinking of the soul, not the emotions of the body. Emotions at best are appreciators of true love; good emotional responses appreciate good motivation, thoughts, decisions and actions but in themselves contain no thought, no integrity, no honor, no humility et cetera.
The following passage commands the highest possible love in marriage, a supernatural love, a standard that can only be executed in full by mature believers in fellowship with God, the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5:22
Wives, be under the authority of [subordinate yourselves to] your very own husbands as to the Lord [her strongest motivation].
Αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ,
The Greek word ‘hupotasso’ means to be subordinate to, to be under the authority of and to obey. It is a durative present which means an action which begins in the past (at the point of marriage) and continues into the present.
Authority orientation is very much a part of basic capacity for life because obedience to legitimate authorities produces humility whereas arrogance is developed by disobeying those authorities. Furthermore, humility is a virtue and is a part of happiness, arrogance on the other hand is the antithesis of virtue and produces self-induced misery and brings God’s wrath upon the believer. If a woman does not know about God’s system of authority and moreover will not adhere to it, she will never be happy in marriage or in life in general.
If a Christian woman will not obey the Lord who is perfect, how will she be able to obey her husband who is imperfect? If a woman rejects the spiritual life, she will never be happy with any man. That is why this verse also has the words “as unto the Lord.” The greatest capacity in life comes from harmonious rapport with God. That is why both the wife’s mandate to obey her husband and the husband’s mandate to love his wife (Ephesians 5:25) are based on harmonious rapport with the Lord. Thus, there is no true love in Christian marriage until there is true love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:23-24
For the husband is the ruler [leader, head] of the wife, just as Christ also is the ruler [head, in the sense of authority] of the church: He Himself is the Savior of the body [a metaphor for the Church]. But as the church is subordinate to [under the authority of] Christ, so also wives are under the authority of [subordinate to] their husbands in everything.
ὅτι ἀνήρ ἐστιν κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, αὐτὸς σωτὴρ τοῦ σώµατος. 24 ἀλλὰ ὡς ἡ ἐκκλησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ Χριστῷ, οὕτως καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐν παντί.
Just as the Church is subordinate to Christ in everything so the wife is subordinate to the husband in everything, within the boundaries of his authority. Wherever an organization exists, someone must take the responsibility for making the final decisions in matters that require a decision. Can you imagine what it would be like in marriage if God had given 50% of the authority to the husband and the other 50% to the wife? The husband says, “Today we are going to eat out;” she says, On the contrary, today we are going to eat in the home.” He says, “Because of my job, we need to live In Hyderabad;” she says, “Because of my friends, we will live in Darjeeling.” Without established authority, orderly function cannot take place. However, all authorities have parameters. For example, if a husband commands his wife to assist him in a bank robbery, he has exceeded the boundaries of his authority and she must refuse.
Many wives resent being under their husband’s authority for they think that being in a subordinate position makes them inferior. This is a totally false concept. Ones position on the ladder of authority doesn’t make a person inferior or superior, rather the quality of one’s soul makes that person superior or inferior. This should be obvious to the most casual observer of people in authority. Some of the greatest morons and most evil people have ruled countries.
Furthermore, many women don’t realize that they were designed to be followers, not leaders. In this role, women can experience an intense happiness especially when married to a great man with wisdom and leadership. Of course, if a woman is married to an arrogant husband, she will have a very difficult time. Though she must obey her arrogant husband, she must do so without reaction. She can only avoid reaction by applying the Word of God to her difficult situation. In so doing, she will find herself responding to God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ. In this way her happiness as a responder is preserved.
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives just as Christ [both his deity and humanity] also loved the church [with personal love] and gave himself [His humanity on the cross] as a substitute for her [impersonal love].
Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς,
The deity of Christ loved the church and still does since each member of the church universal has a double portion of divine righteousness. Jesus, the humanity of Christ loved and still loves the universal church since it is his royal family, and bride. So, the humanity of Christ was willing to bear the sins of the world which included the sins of those who would make up the church. Christ’s work on the cross was the greatest demonstration of love in all of history for it combined Jesus’s love for both God the Father which love motivated Him to bear the sins of the world and his love for His future bride (contract signed at salvation) and wife (the wedding feast occurring at the 2nd Advent.).
The Christian husband is to love his wife just as the humanity of Christ loved the Church. As Jesus was willing to sacrifice himself for the church, so the husband must be willing to sacrifice himself for his wife. In order to understand this, we must always remember the Four primary components of true human love namely knowledge, righteousness, justice and grace. In the protocol plan of God, Jesus maximized these four characteristics. So, in order for a husband to love his wife as Christ (with focus on his humanity), the husband must also maximize out these four primary characteristics (components) of love.
From these four primary components comes the following: Enduring devotion, the intense love that the humanity of Christ had for the Church (he had anticipated those who would believe in him). Christ, as the groom, loved the Church (his bride) so much that He gave Himself as a substitute for her, the church. Christian husbands are commanded to have this same intense love for their wives. This is a supernatural love that only a mature believer can execute. In the soul of the humanity of Christ there existed maximum humility, maximum integrity and capacity for love which can only come from a thorough understanding and execution of the spiritual life.
Ephesians 5:26
That having purified her [Christ purified the church via the forgiveness of pre-salvation sins at the point of salvation. By analogy, the wife is purified by her husband’s intense and faithful love toward her and therefore, does not feel dirty in the sexual encounter. Soul-coalescence keeps the sexual encounter clean and beautiful], He [Christ] might set her apart [dedicate: experiential setting apart to Christ; by analogy the wife is set apart to her own husband through his dedication and devotion to her and so, he becomes the only man her life] by means of the washing of the water [metaphor: the Word washes or changes the believer] in association with the spoken word [the mechanics of experiential sanctification: the believer is changed experientially by the intake of God’s word via the pastor; this brings about soul coalescence in marriage].
ἵνα αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήµατι,
Since this verse deals with experiential sanctification, let’s take a quick look at sanctification. Sanctification means to be set apart to God for a special purpose, to be consecrated, to be pure, to be without sin. There are three sanctifications: Experiential, Positional and Ultimate.
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.
Experiential 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.” Ephesians 5:26, our passage.
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).
Positional Sanctification:
1 Corinthians 1:2, “To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [hagiazo: set apart as a new spiritual species to God in Christ] called saints [hagios: set apart ones, consecrated unto God] together with all who call on the person of [metaphor for believing in] our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours.”
1 John 5:11, “And this is the deposition that God has given to each one of us eternal life, and this [eternal] life is in His Son [since the believer cannot fail in union with Christ, he cannot lose his eternal life].”
Ultimate Sanctification:
Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world, that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father].”
Ephesians 5:27
That He [Christ the groom] might cause her [the virgin bride, the Church] to be presented to Himself [at the Rapture of the Church minus an Old Sin Nature] as a glorious church [in resurrection: ultimate sanctification] having no stain [no old sin nature and no sin], or wrinkled gown [human good removed] nor any such things [evil things], but that she [wedding of Christ at the 2nd Advent] be sanctified [set apart in resurrection body] and unblemished [inner beauty: absence of defects in resurrection body].
ἵνα παραστήσῃ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ ἔνδοξον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, µὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἀλλí ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ ἄµωµος.
Ephesians 5:28
So, husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies [nourishes, protects, cares for etc]. He who loves his own wife, keeps loving himself [Spiritual Self-Esteem is the basis for soul coalescence];
οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώµατα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ,
Spiritual Self-Esteem takes shape in the soul as the Christian becomes grace and doctrinally oriented. Relating this to the 10 Problem Solving Devices, this development would begin at the 6th problem solving device and increase as the Christian progresses into spiritual adulthood and peaks out at occupation with Christ.
Spiritual Self-Esteem is based on confidence, self-worth and one status as a member of the royal family of God. Self-esteem is confidence in what one knows, and in one’s ability to put that knowledge into operation. What has been a characteristic of a few great leaders in history is now available to each of us as believers. It is con0fidence in God, confidence in the Word of God metabolized in your soul and circulating in your stream of consciousness, not a confidence based on one’s human intelligence, education, family tree achievement or success. Self-esteem is also ones estimated worth or value. Since spiritual assets have the highest value and worth, the more spiritual assets that the believer is able to acquire and put into operation, the greater becomes his estimation of self. Since this self-estimation is not based on human merit or abilities, but rather grace acquired assets and abilities, it does not produce arrogance.
In the status of spiritual self-esteem at the 6th Problem Solving Device, the Christian loves himself because in his soul exists grace and doctrinal orientation, the faith-rest Drill, understanding and appreciation for the Filling of the Holy Spirit and knowledge regarding the Recovery Procedure and as he advances in the spiritual life, his spiritual self-esteem will be enhanced by his love for God, his unconditional love for all people and his happiness and occupation with Christ. He loves his own person because he is a member of the Royal Family of God, a royal priest and an ambassador for Christ.
Human self-esteem many times is related to arrogance manifested in a superiority complex. On the other hand, spiritual self-esteem is never related to arrogance. The more the Christian functions consistently in fellowship with God, the more his spiritual esteem flourishes. On the other hand, if he starts spending too much time out of fellowship pursuing the lusts of the sin nature, his spiritual esteem that he once possessed will begin to diminish and eventually completely disappear. Once obtained, spiritual self-esteem must be maintained by continuous intake and application of God’s Word.
Scripture besides this passage:
He who gets wisdom, keeps loving his own soul; He who guards understanding shall find the absolute good [spiritual prosperity]. (Proverbs 19:8)
Jesus answered, ‘The most important one is this, “Listen O Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is unique [adverbial form of the Greek word heis: unique since he is both God and Man], and you shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart [the mentality of the soul where metabolized doctrine resides], and with all your soul [the entire soul] and with all of your understanding [of doctrine] and with all your strength [virtue] The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [Old Testament form of spiritual self-esteem]. (Mark 12:29-31; a quote from Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Leviticus 19:18)
Since we are of the day, let us obtain spiritual self-esteem [the Greek word nepho] after we have put on the breastplate of doctrine and love and as a helmet, the confidence in doctrine. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
The Greek word nepho means to be self-controlled, to be well balanced, freedom from excess compassion, rashness and confusion, the honor of individual worth, a serious regulation of the powers a person has been given (the two power options).
Ephesians 5:29-30
For no one has ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and provides tender care for it [this is how the husband should take care of his wife] just as also Christ does the church [His body: Ephesians 5:23]. [Verse 30 belongs at the end of verse 29] because we [Church age believers] are members of His body [the wife as it were is the body of the husband].
οὐδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα ἐµίσησεν, ἀλλὰ ἐκτρέφει καὶ θάλπει αὐτήν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, 30 ὅτι µέλη ἐσµὲν τοῦ σώµατος αὐτοῦ.
The King James Version includes the phrase "of His flesh" which is not in the original Greek text.
Ephesians 5:31
(For this cause a man [emphasis on the man] shall leave [precedence] his father and mother, and he shall have sexual intercourse with his own [no other] wife and the two shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24)).
ἀντὶ τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν µητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα µίαν.
Why did God the Holy Spirit suddenly throw this verse of the Old Testament in the midst of this passage dealing with Christian marriage? When the husband is able to bring true love to the marriage and his wife responds with respect, their souls coalesce. As a result of coalescence of souls, the husband purifies his wife [by analogy: Ephesians 5:26] in the sexual encounter in the sense that she does not feel dirty in the sexual encounter just as Adam and his wife experienced no shame in their nakedness and sexual experience (Genesis 2:25 which follows the verse just quoted). To the contrary, the sexual encounter of two mature Christian believers or those approaching spiritual maturity in marriage is a trip back to the garden of Paradise.
Ephesians 5:32
This mystery [Christian marriage is related to the spiritual life with the highest possible mandates in order to defeat Satan’s argument against marriage] is great; I am speaking with reference to Christ [Christian marriage is related to ones relationship with Christ] and with reference to the Church [Christian marriage as part of the mystery doctrines only occurs in the Church Age].
τὸ µυστήριον τοῦτο µέγα ἐστίν, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
Christian marriage is part of the mystery doctrines as is also the indwelling of God the Father, God the Son and the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, the Filling of the Spirit, the Royal Priesthood, the Ambassadorship of each Church Age believer, Retroactive and Current Positional Truth etc. Mystery doctrines were never revealed in the Old Testament. No one in the Old Testament ever heard of the doctrines just mentioned. The Greek word ‘musterion’ refers to doctrines only known by those in a particular Greek fraternity or sorority. Christians are a part of the greatest fraternity that has ever existed with doctrines having been revealed for the first time in history.
In order to withstand the tremendous attacks of Satan during the 33 in preparation for the cross and his work on the cross, the humanity of Christ needed a more powerful spiritual life than that of the Old Testament believers. So, a special spiritual life was designed for him (Isaiah 11:1-2), a spiritual life with two powers namely the Filling of the Spirit and the power which comes from learning and applying the information found in the New Testament Epistles. With this powerful spiritual life, he was able to develop maximum love for the Father and maximum unconditional love for the human race, thus, enabling Him to bear the sins of the entire human race. This same spiritual life was given to the Church Age believers. The power of the Filling of the Spirit first occurred at the Day of Pentecost, the first day of the Church. The power of the New Testament epistles was given to the Apostles who in turn wrote it down for us. With this new powerful spiritual life, Christians in marriage are able to execute the mandates in this passage.
God raised the standards of marriage in the Church Age in order to defeat Satan’s argument against the failure of two perfect people in a perfect marriage in perfect environment. Since this information was never revealed in the Old Testament, it is listed as a mystery doctrine. Remember that the Greek word ‘musterion’ refers to doctrines known only by those initiated into the fraternity. Thus, the mystery doctrines were to be understood by the members of the fraternity of God’s Royal Family and applied.
Ephesians 5:33
In any case however [the Greek adverb ‘plen’ is translate by four words], you [husbands], let each individual among you also love his own wife even as he loves himself [spiritual self esteem], and the wife see to it that (imperatival ‘hina’) she respects her husband.
πλὴν καὶ ὑµεῖς οἱ καθí ἕνα ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα οὕτως ἀγαπάτω ὡς ἑαυτόν, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοβῆται τὸν ἄνδρα.
