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
First Corinthians Chapter Six
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Let us bow our heads; If we need to use the Recovery Procedure as found in 1 John 1:9, let us do so at this time that we might be in fellowship. (pause) Father, we thank you for the privilege and opportunity to study your word and for the freedom that you have provided for us here in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.A.; furthermore, we express our appreciation to God the Holy Spirit who will enlighten us regarding the message this evening. We as priests pray this through the person of our Lord Christ Jesus, our High Priest, Amen.
Introduction:
By way of introduction to this chapter, knowledge of doctrine is a necessary virtue in the modus operandi of Christianity. Knowledge of doctrine is virtuous and ignorance of doctrine is rejection of doctrine and guaranteed failure in the spiritual life. Five times in chapter 6 we have this very important phrase, “do you not know,” verses 2, 3, 9, 15, 19. You cannot do the will of God unless you know doctrine. Knowledge of doctrine is the basis of orientation to God’s plan, the basis of knowing your own status quo at any time. The believer who is ignorant of doctrine and does not care to learn God’s Word is the dumbest of all believers.
By way of introduction to verses 1-7, we need to cover briefly the topic of juris prudence. Juris prudence refers to the body or system of laws, or the science of law over which a judge presides in a courtroom. A court is defined as a place where justice is administered; a place where the function of juris prudence is designed to determine innocence or guilt. Under the concept of freedom, a person should be considered innocent until proven guilty. I would suggest the Doctrine of Juris Prudence by R.B. Thieme Jr. This doctrinal information can be gained through listening to Ephesian series, lessons 1370, and 1371.
The Laws of Evidence, Exodus 23:1ff:
Exodus 23:1, “You shall not carry a false rumor [into a court]; do not join your hand with an evil person to be a malicious witness.” This verse is dealing with conspiracy and hearsay. Hearsay is testimony given by a witness based on what he has heard from someone else. Hearsay is never evidence. Hearsay is often evil slander, vicious gossip, or the creation of the public lie. Example, the case of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, who falsely accused Joseph of rape.
Exodus 23:2, “Do not follow the crowd in doing evil when you give testimony in a law suit. Do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.” Do not follow legalistic bullies. People can become very weak before legalistic bullies. This occurs in church conspiracies or business conspiracies.
Exodus 23:3, “Do not show favoritism to a poor man in a law suit.”
Exodus 23:7, “Have nothing to do with a false charge, and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.” The Supreme Court of Heaven does not let anyone get away with anything. Genesis 50:20, “As for you [Joseph’s brothers], you meant evil against me [Joseph], but God meant it for good to accomplish what is now being done to preserve many people alive.” The Supreme Court of Heaven overrules evil.
The Word of God specifies that legal procedure and law suits be based on a strict system of evidence.
(1) Evidence must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the defendant is guilty under the principle that the person is innocent until proven guilty.
(2) Power lust and conspiracy rejects evidence as in the case of an arrogant, legalistic believer who rejects the laws of evidence and believes hearsay. In so doing, that believer enters into a conspiracy regarding character assassination.
(3) The laws of evidence demand investigation of each accusation. Legitimate evidence is based on two or three witnesses being interrogated independently and agreeing to their testimony.
The laws of evidence are also found in Deuteronomy 19:15-21, “A single witness shall not rise up against a person on account of any iniquity or sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. If a malicious witness shall rise up against a person and accuse him of wrongdoing, then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. And the judges shall investigate thoroughly; and if a witness is a false witness and if he accuses his brother [fellow-believer] falsely, then, you shall do to him just as he intended to do to his brother. Thus, you shall purge the evil from among you. And the rest will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do such an evil among you. Thus, you shall not show pity: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.”
There are five categories of courts in which a believer might be involved namely military, criminal, civil, church and the Supreme Court of Heaven.
1. Military courts: This is a court of military personnel appointed to try offenses against military law by members of the armed forces. Both believers and unbelievers can be involved in these courts.
2. Criminal Courts: Criminal courts are designed to administer justice in criminal cases. Criminal cases include murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, embezzlement, burglary, pimping, prostitution, drug dealing, blackmail, fraud, counterfeiting, pederasty, and shoplifting. Criminal courts are responsible to examine evidence to determine innocence or guilt of the arraigned person and to make judicial determination of punishment, which means sentencing the guilty. Arraignment means to bring a person before a court to answer an indictment. Both believers and unbelievers may be arraigned before a criminal court. Many believers involved in immoral degeneracy are criminals and come under the jurisdiction of criminal courts.
3. Civil Courts: Civil courts are designed for litigation or law suits. These law suits are related to the private rights of individuals and legal proceedings connected with them. There are areas where believers should and should not be involved according to the Scripture. Civil law is defined as a body of laws of a state or of a nation regulating private matters as distinct from laws regulating criminal, political, or military matters. Three categories of litigants are found in civil law: corporation versus corporation, corporation versus state, and persons engaged in law suits. There are three types of litigants: unbeliever versus unbeliever (which is not a part of this subject), unbeliever versus believer (a believer has a right to defend himself in a civil court), and believer versus believer (which in some cases is prohibited).
4. Church court, composition and limitation: The church court is generally composed of the following: a pastor and the board of deacons. Generally, most complaints are handled by church officers and deacons without ever coming to the point of having a church court. This frees the pastor to fulfill his function of studying and teaching. Church courts are famous for their failures. Qualification for the function of a church court is based on the proper spiritual gifts including spiritual growth and maturity and resultant wisdom. Church courts are no stronger than the spiritual life of those who are involved. The function of church courts does not include jurisdiction over criminals, military matters, or corporate or civil court cases, but is restricted to spiritual matters involving believers.
The problem with church courts is twofold namely they do not assign any discipline: all they can do is invite someone to leave that church, and secondly, they make public, private matters. Church courts can deal with disputes among believers. However, ignorance of Bible doctrine and lack of grace orientation can quickly destroy the function of a church court. If judges have scar tissue in the stream of consciousness, garbage in the subconscious, power lust, arrogance and are influenced by the emotional complex of sins, or the lust pattern of the old sin nature, that court is not going to function properly. On the other hand, a church court can be effective in handling disputes of one kind or another. However, if you have been cheated by another believer or are suffering as a victim of defamation of character, it is far better to go to the supreme court of heaven than to go before a church court.
Principles regarding church courts:
(1) A church organization itself should not litigate against a believer.
(2) A believer should not sue a church.
(3) A believer who is a victim of defamation of character should not sue another believer.
(4) A believer cheated in a business or commercial deal by a believer should not sue that believer who defrauded him.
(5) In these situations, believers should appeal to the Supreme Court of Heaven.
(6) 1 Corinthians 6:1, 5-6 indicates that the believer should not go to court in civil action against another believer, rather he should leave the matter to the Supreme Court of Heaven and apply Colossians 3:13, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, forgive them just as the Lord forgave you.”
5. The supreme court of heaven: This court is the most important court for the believer. The believer using the Faith-rest Drill approaches the supreme court of heaven by leaving matters in the Lord’s hands. It is always better to take your case to the supreme court of heaven where the evidence and justice is perfect. This is especially true when one has been defrauded or defamed by another believer.
Verses 1-11, Carnality in litigation;
Verses 12-20, carnality in lasciviousness.
1 Corinthians 6:1
If any of you have a dispute [a case] against another [believer with whom you have strong antagonism or controversy related to defamation of character or fraud], dare [have you the unmitigated gall] to litigate in a civic court before the unjust judges [judges are called unjust since they as unbelievers are incapable with few exceptions to judge a case involving believers] and not before the saints [the legitimacy of a local church court (a denomination is not a local church)]?
Τολµᾷ τις ὑµῶν πρᾶγµα ἔχων πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον κρίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων;
The Greek word adikos in verse one refers to an unjust judge. This means that a judge, who is not a believer, is not capable of judging a case involving two believers. When there is a dispute between two believers, no judge as an unbeliever is capable of handling such a case unless he should be a master of jurisprudence as found in the Word of God. Normally, only an advanced believer with great wisdom and with an understanding of jurisprudence is qualified for such a task.
Two court systems: This verse indicates that there was a civil court system operational in the city of Corinth based on the Roman system of law. This verse also indicates that church courts have existed since the beginning of the Church Age. These church courts would have been composed of the apostles (until the Canon was completed), pastors, and church officers and deacons. When no one in the local church is qualified to form a court or when a church court functioned unjustly, then the believer had the privilege to appeal to the Supreme Court of Heaven for redress of grievances. 2 Timothy 4:8, “The Lord, the righteous judge.”
1 Corinthians 6:2
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world, and if the world is judged by you [assuming these Christians would advance to spiritual maturity], are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts [trivial cases]?
ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἅγιοι τὸν κόσµον κρινοῦσιν; καὶ εἰ ἐν ὑµῖν κρίνεται ὁ κόσµος, ἀνάξιοί ἐστε κριτηρίων ἐλαχίστων;
Paul advances his argument by using eschatology and sarcasm. On the one hand, the Corinthians did not want to be accused of ignorance, and so perked-up and on the other hand they were curious and apparently very interested in eschatology. Paul’s emphasis on knowledge “do you not know” indicates that knowledge is necessary with regard to this eschatological subject. Church Age believers with great wisdom in resurrection bodies will function as judges during the Millennium. Paul’s point is that if one will be judging many cases during the period of the Millennium, then surely, he can judge a simple case in the church. Furthermore, Paul’s statement about being competent implies that one must have tremendous wisdom, virtue and integrity to handle a court battle between two believers. Unfortunately, as was true with the Corinthians, is true of most churches today in that they are not competent to establish a church court for even the most trivial cases. If that be the case, the believer then must take his case to the Supreme Court of Heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:3
Do you not know that we [in resurrection bodies] will judge angels? How much more matters pertaining to this life?
οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦµεν, µήτιγε βιωτικά;
This is the only statement in all of Scripture about our judging angels in the future. Paul doesn’t elaborate on this subject, but only uses it to challenge them. Since Paul didn’t elaborate, neither can we. Paul’s point is, “How dare you take your disputes to unbeliever-judges about trivial matters of this life, when you will be judging angels in the future.”
1 Corinthians 6:4
So, if you have church courts dealing with matters of this life [maybe you will and maybe you will not], why do you appoint as judges in the church those who are incompetent [to be treated with contempt; deacons in the Corinthian church who were incompetent as judges]?
βιωτικὰ µὲν οὖν κριτήρια ἐὰν ἔχητε, τοὺς ἐξουθενηµένους ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τούτους καθίζετε;
This refers to incompetence in those who judge. Usually, these type of judges permit hearsay and gossip and are often filled with power lust. If a board of deacons, functioning as a church court or acting as an investigating body, is composed of legalism, arrogance, and power lust, then inevitably it will be incompetent. Such incompetence will result in members of the congregation and pastors being victims of injustice and defamation. In such cases, victims are not to go to the civil courts, but should appeal to the supreme court of heaven as part of the Faith-Rest Drill.
1 Corinthians 6:5-6
I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man [a very advanced believer] who will be able to render a judicial decision between his brethren, (6) but brother litigates [in a Roman court] against other believers, and that before unbelievers [and before judges who are unbelievers]?
πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑµῖν λέγω. οὕτως οὐκ ἔνι ἐν ὑµῖν οὐδεὶς σοφὸς ὃς δυνήσεται διακρῖναι ἀνὰ µέσον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ; (6) ἀλλὰ ἀδελφὸς µετὰ ἀδελφοῦ κρίνεται, καὶ τοῦτο ἐπὶ ἀπίστων;
The Warning to Deacons who Function on a Church Court:
1. When the board of deacons of a local church function as a church court, they must proceed with wisdom (the application of doctrine) and with caution (caution to never take sides).To proceed with caution means that while you are gathering facts you remain free of prejudice. A church court should be composed of very advanced believers if not mature believers. They have the necessary spiritual self-esteem which constructs wisdom out of cognitive self-confidence, or they are in spiritual autonomy which constructs wisdom out of cognitive independence, or they are in spiritual maturity which constructs wisdom on cognitive invincibility. Such wisdom is objective, observing protocol which protects the privacy of those involved. This means that deacons should be beyond reproach regarding their integrity while hearing cases. They should be in a state of grace orientation and objectivity, recognizing their liability to the Supreme Court of Heaven. Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, even if a believer is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in the spirit of humility, lest you also be tempted [to arrogance].” You might become self-righteous, thinking you would never commit that kind of sin.
2. Procedure is important when a board of deacons receives a complaint or investigates an accusation. It must separate fact from fiction, truth from the false, innocence from guilt. Investigation means that a person is innocent until proven guilty. If there is only hearsay and no evidence, then the matter must be passed on to the supreme court of heaven. Never be intimidated by legalistic bullying or allow a legalistic bully to influence the court. The accuser must be an eyewitness to the content of the accusation and not just a believer expressing his hatred, bitterness, vindictiveness, prejudice, and implacability etc.
3. Many accusations are based on hallucination or delusional activity, mental and personality disorders. Many accusations are either malicious rumors or a deliberate manufacturing of the public lie to assuage jealousy and express power or approbation lust. The one who manufactures the public lie and those who believe the public lie have together created liability before the Supreme Court of Heaven. The public lie can also create liability for the local church whose leadership makes public statements of guilt on the basis of hearsay, and such a church can become liable and guilty before the Supreme Court of Heaven.
4. If there is neither sufficient evidence nor admission of guilt, the charges must be dismissed and the matter left to the Supreme Court of Heaven. Under no circumstances should accusations received by a board of deacons ever be made public. This is tantamount to slander, judging, and maligning. The highest form of integrity is to use the Faith-rest Drill to turn a matter over to the Supreme Court of Heaven and avoid all reactions of sin from the arrogance complex or all irrationality from the emotional complex of sins.
5. Do not approach the Supreme Court of Heaven with any bitterness, hatred, vindictiveness, implacability, revenge motivation, self-righteous arrogance, or seeking self-justification. When the supreme court of heaven renders a decision in your favor, it should increase your grace orientation rather than legalism in your soul. Self-righteous arrogance does not glorify God. Therefore, the judgments handed down from the Supreme Court of Heaven are never designed for gloating or any form of legalism. It is not you who are right but God who is right! The Supreme Court of Heaven glorifies God, not the believer.
6. Every believer has the right to freedom and privacy, Galatians 5:1, “In the sphere of freedom, Christ has freed us; therefore, stand firm [by functioning under the two power options] and stop being enmeshed again by the yoke of slavery.” John 8:32, “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Every believer has the right of privacy in his priesthood, and the spiritual freedom to learn Bible doctrine. When some believer or believers in the local church intrude into the privacy of another believer, by whatever means, that person should be warned privately by the church officers. If the warning is rejected, then the believer may be asked to cease attendance, but be allowed to receive the messages through other means. The function of a church court is to protect the privacy of the believer from such distractions as legalism, vilification, and other intrusions which either discourage or distract him or her from their perception of Bible doctrine.
1 Corinthians 6:7
Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have litigation among yourselves in civil courts. Why not rather be wronged [defamation of character]? Why not rather be defrauded [cheated in business or a financial deal of some kind]?
ἤδη µὲν [οὖν] ὅλως ἥττηµα ὑµῖν ἐστιν ὅτι κρίµατα ἔχετε µεθí ἑαυτῶν· διὰ τί οὐχὶ µᾶλλον ἀδικεῖσθε; διὰ τί οὐχὶ µᾶλλον ἀποστερεῖσθε;
The two rhetorical questions imply that the believer who is the victim of injustice should take his case to the supreme court of heaven. The believer who does so has taken his case to the highest court in the universe. Provided the believer is in the right and does not complain to others or malign the one who has wronged him, he or she will receive ultimate justice from God. “Why not rather be wronged” refers to defamation of character. “Why not rather be defrauded?” refers to being cheated in a financial deal of some kind. Remember, the cattle on a thousand hills are His. God can always restore your finances. When you take a fellow believer to a legal court, you are the loser even if you should win the case.
If such a case as a defamation case should go before a church court, a board of deacons must proceed with caution and with wisdom, never taking sides, but carefully gathering the facts. The board must realize their liability before the Supreme Court of Heaven. Whenever you are in doubt about any procedure regarding doctrine, always follow the grace principle. 1 John 1:8, 10 make it very clear that none of us are perfect.
1 Corinthians 6:8
On the contrary, you yourselves wrong [involved in defamation of character] and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.
ἀλλὰ ὑµεῖς ἀδικεῖτε καὶ ἀποστερεῖτε, καὶ τοῦτο ἀδελφούς.
Many of the Corinthians were criminals and were committing crimes even against their fellow believers.
1 Corinthians 6:9
Or do you not know that the unrighteous [the experientially unrighteous Christians who never advances spiritually] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor transvestite [effeminate], nor homosexuals,
ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἄδικοι θεοῦ βασιλείαν οὐ κληρονοµήσουσιν; µὴ πλανᾶσθε· οὔτε πόρνοι οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε µοιχοὶ οὔτε µαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται
1 Corinthians 6:10
Nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
οὔτε κλέπται οὔτε πλεονέκται, οὐ µέθυσοι, οὐ λοίδοροι, οὐχ ἅρπαγες βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονοµήσουσιν.
Believers who do not advance spiritually will lose their greater Inheritance:
Galatians 5:19-21, “Now, the works [actions] of the flesh [sin nature] are plainly seen such as [a representative list] fornication [pornea: including adultery], mental and moral defilement from wrong doing [akatharsia:1stThessalonians 2:3; Matthew 23:27] and sexual sins related to abnormality and criminality [the Greek word aselgeia: extreme indulgence in sensual pleasure related to alcohol, drugs and sexual perversions including sexual sins related to idolatry and human sacrifice]. (20) Idolatry, sorcery [witchcraft; drug users], antagonisms [hostile feelings and actions toward others related to pettiness], strife [discord, contention for superiority], jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition [rivalry, competition], dissensions [trouble makers such as the Galatians who have been influenced by the Judaizers], religious factions [self-seeking, contentious groups; heresies]. (21) envies, drunkenness, carousing [orgies], and similar things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you, that those who keep practicing [throughout their lives and fail to advance spiritually] similar things as these shall not inherit [the rewards in] the kingdom of God [the eternal state].”
Paul is warning the Galatians about losing their inheritance since they had returned to their former lifestyle and had lost the battle to their sin natures committing mental sins, overt sins including sexual sins and consequently were continually out of fellowship and failing to advance in the spiritual life. Christians who fail to execute the spiritual life, will lose their inheritance.
Some Christians read this passage and exclaim, “Woe unto me, I have lost my salvation.” All Christians commit some of these sins. If we could lose our salvation through one or more of these sins listed above, none of us would be going to heaven. You have never been angry or jealous! Even sexual sins cannot remove one’s salvation. If they could many of the greats listed in the Hall of Fame found in Hebrews 11 would not be going to heaven. Noah got drunk and was involved in sexual sins (masturbation and homosexuality: Genesis 9:20-27), Abraham committed adultery with Hagar, the Egyptian girl, David committed adultery with (or raped) Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, Uriah the Hittite. Even though Moses did not commit a sexual sin, he did divorce his first wife and remarry. How can Christians be so completely stupid and think that this passage is talking about losing one’s salvation?
First of all, no Christian can inherit the Kingdom of God. So, obviously, it is not talking about inheriting a kingdom. The interpretive word in this passage is the verb ‘inherit’ (kleronomeo). It is simply talking about inheriting honors, rewards and decorations in the eternal state.
Heirship is based on sonship. You must be a son before you can become an heir. The Galatian Christians were Sons of God (Galatians 3:26-28), and since God is very wealthy, the potential for tremendous inheritance is there. All Christians will inherit certain blessings (such as a resurrection body and certain amount of blessing in the eternal state], but the greatest blessings of one’s inheritance are dependent upon whether the Christian completes the spiritual life, or not.
Another important word in this passage is the present active participle of ‘prasso’ meaning to practice. The present tense is progressive; it refers to those believers who keep on committing certain sins their entire spiritual lives. They are never able to gain control over their sin natures since they are not “growing in grace and knowledge” and so are failing to execute the spiritual life. In the context, we are talking about Galatian believers who are out of fellowship. They have completely abandoned the spiritual life. So, Paul warns them that if they fail to advance to spiritual maturity, the place where the believer loves God and shares in God’s happiness, then that believer will die the Sin unto Death (1 John 5:16) and lose his eternal rewards in the form of Escrow Blessings.
Ephesians 5:5-7, “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. (6). Let no one deceive you [the Ephesian Christians] 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]. (7) Therefore [believers], stop being joint participators with them [the unbeliever in immoral degeneracy].”
This is a warning to the Ephesian believers that they could lose their inheritance through promiscuity. The Christian is not to imitate the lifestyle of the immorally 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. 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.
It should be a warning to believers that 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.
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.
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 can cause dissentions in the church and sometimes even split or destroy that 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.
1 Corinthians 6:11
Such were some of you; but you were washed [forgiveness of pre-salvation sins], but you were sanctified [positional sanctification], but you were justified [after receiving imputed righteousness, they were declared righteous and qualified to live with God forever] by the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and by agency of the Spirit of our God.
καὶ ταῦτά τινες ἦτε· ἀλλὰ ἀπελούσασθε, ἀλλὰ ἡγιάσθητε, ἀλλὰ ἐδικαιώθητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόµατι τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύµατι τοῦ θεοῦ ἡµῶν.
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.”
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 [positional sanctification in 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].”
1 Corinthians 6:12
All things are lawful for me [under the Law of Liberty], but not all things are expedient [suitable for achieving a particular end]. All things are lawful for me [under the Law of Liberty], but I will not be mastered by anything [I will not allow any of my freedoms to violate the Law of Expediency or the Law of Love].
Πάντα µοι ἔξεστιν, ἀλλí οὐ πάντα συµφέρει. πάντα µοι ἔξεστιν, ἀλλí οὐκ ἐγὼ ἐξουσιασθήσοµαι ὑπό τινος.
Some distort this verse:
1. Our new position in Christ plus the doctrine of eternal security does not give us the right of licentiousness. Apparently, the Corinthians thought that it did. Though, we have a position in Christ which can never be changed, and we have eternal security and so cannot lose our salvation, these two doctrines do not give us the right of levity in moral matters or licentiousness.
2. The Law of Liberty is often confused with antinomianism. The Law of Liberty is not antinomianism (against the Law). We are not against Law. Just because we know we cannot lose our salvation we are not lawless.
3. The law of liberty gives us freedom in our modus operandi as well as freedom to serve God, but not freedom to sin. The law of liberty is superseded on certain occasions by three other laws. There will be times when the Law of Expediency, the Law of Love, or the Law of Supreme Sacrifice will be a superseding law, but this does not make them superior to the Law of Liberty, as is often implied.
The Four Laws of Christian Modus Operandi:
1. The Law of Liberty and Love: This is directed toward oneself, 1 Corinthians 8:4-13, “Therefore, concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God, but one. (5) For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, (6) yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. (7) However not all men have this knowledge; but some [weak but growing believers], being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled [the Christian should never violate his conscience]. (8) But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat [Don’t make an issue out of the Law of Liberty]. (9) But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak [but growing believer; this is not referring to a hard-core legalist]. (10) For if someone sees you [eating steak at some temple restaurant], who have knowledge [the advanced believer], dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols [A spiritually weak Christian will be encouraged to eat meat at a temple restaurant, but since his conscience cannot handle it, he will be destroyed spiritually]? (11) For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother [a fellow growing believer who is weak] for whose sake Christ died. (12) And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. (13) Therefore, if meat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.” [Even though we operate under the Law of Liberty, we must not use it to offend a weak believer. Under that situation, the Law of Love must overrule the Law of Liberty.]
2. The Law of Expediency: suitable for achieving a particular end; in this case the evangelism of the unbeliever. 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. (17) For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. (18) What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge [never take money from an unbeliever], so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. (19) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more [souls for Christ]. (20) To the Jews I became as a Jew [for example abstaining from eating pork], so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law [the Jewish unbeliever]; (21) to those who are without law [Gentile unbelievers], as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. (22) To the weak [Jewish and Gentile unbelievers] I became weak, that I might win the weak [to the Lord]; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. (23) I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” Summary: 1 Corinthians 10:23, All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
3. The Law of Supreme Sacrifice: This is always directed toward God. 1 Corinthians 9:1-15, “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? (2) If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. (3) My defense to those who examine me is this: (4) Do we not have a right to eat [meat] and drink [wine]? (5) Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? (6) Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working [take the weekends off or take a vacation]? (7) Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense [Paul is a spiritual general]? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? [Paul functioning under the Law of Supreme Sacrifice, did not get paid.] (8) I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? (9) For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.’ God is not concerned about oxen, is He? (10) Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. (11) If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? (12) If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. (13) Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? (14) So, also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel [to the apostles to the Lost Sheep of Judah]. (15) But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.”
1 Corinthians 6:13
Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them [in resurrection bodies there will be no digestive disorders]. Yet, the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord [to honor the Lord], and the Lord is for the body [the Lord will provide logistically for the body].
τὰ βρώµατα τῇ κοιλίᾳ, καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώµασιν· ὁ δὲ θεὸς καὶ ταύτην καὶ ταῦτα καταργήσει. τὸ δὲ σῶµα οὐ τῇ πορνείᾳ ἀλλὰ τῷ κυρίῳ, καὶ ὁ κύριος τῷ σώµατι·
“Food for the stomach, and the stomach is for food,” ‘Food for the stomach’ is referring to a normal function of the human body. It is permissible therefore to eat food. Eating food is the way by which the factory gets its energy; the body’s energy comes from food; therefore, the human body has to be sustained by food, but there are certain conditions under which certain kinds of foods should not be consumed as we have already seen under the Law of Expediency.
“God will do away with both of them” So, food and the stomach are temporal, is what he is saying here. Eating is a process that will not be continued forever. Physical death terminates the operation of eating and digestion as we know it in this mortal body. In the resurrection body, one may eat, but it is not necessary, for the eternal body will not need energy from digested food.
“Now the body is not for fornication,” the problem of sex. The Corinthians were Greeks and all Greeks had the same idea. The Greek agreed that eating food was a normal function of the body and they also understood that the stomach was for food etc. Regarding the second half of this verse, the Greeks would say that sex was normal too, just as normal as eating. Therefore, they had developed the concept of sex anytime, anywhere, and under any conditions. Furthermore, all Greek worship was centered in sexual activity.
“But for the Lord” Not only are we to serve the Lord through our spirit and soul, but also through our body. The body has a new purpose in life from the moment of salvation which purpose is to glorify God.
“And the Lord [is] for the body” The Lord will provide every need you have for the body whether it be food or sex as long as it is not sinful or does not violate the Law of love or expediency.
1 Corinthians 6:14
Now, God [the Father] has not only raised the Lord [provided a resurrection body for the humanity of Christ], but will also raise us up through His power [provide a resurrection body at the Rapture of the Church].
ὁ δὲ θεὸς καὶ τὸν κύριον ἤγειρεν καὶ ἡµᾶς ἐξεγερεῖ διὰ τῆς δυνάµεως αὐτοῦ.
Resurrection:
There are two returns from the dead namely resuscitation and resurrection. Resuscitation means a person returns from the dead in a body of corruption and eventually dies again. For example, Lazarus was resuscitated by Jesus; Paul resuscitated a boy who fell out of a window; two boys in the Old Testament were resuscitated, and Elijah and Moses will be resuscitated toward the end of the Tribulation. On the other hand, resurrection means to be given an eternal body which does not corrupt or dies. Therefore, resurrection is rising again from the dead in an eternal human body, and never again being subject to death.
The power of resurrection regarding the humanity of Christ:
Our Lord had the power and authority to receive His life again. John 10:17-18, "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. (18) No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." So, although Jesus Christ Himself had the power to bring Himself back from the dead, He relied on the omnipotence of both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, during the period of His physical death, Jesus Christ did not exercise His omnipotence to benefit Himself, to provide for Himself, to raise Himself from the dead, or to glorify Himself in any way.
This authority or power came from the omnipotence of God the Father, who restored our Lord's human spirit to His body, and from the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, who restored our Lord's human soul to His body. At that moment, the human spirit and soul of our Lord rejoined His body in the grave through the agency of the omnipotence of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, and the humanity of Christ was resurrected. 1 Corinthians 6:14, "Now God [the Father] has not only resurrected our Lord, but He will raise us up through His power." Romans 8:11, "Now if the Spirit from Him [God the Father] who raised Jesus from the dead indwells you [and He does], He [God the Father] who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you." The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit restored our Lord's human soul in Hades to His body in the grave and thereby became an agent in the resurrection of the humanity of Jesus Christ as well. 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died as a substitute for our sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive [given a resurrection body] by the Spirit.”
Resurrection at the Rapture of the Church:1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
1 Thessalonians 4:13, “But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are asleep [the body sleeps as it were until the believer resurrects, gets up from his sleep], that you may not grieve as do the rest [the unbelievers] who have no confidence.” Ignorance is the greatest problem with Christianity today, and it is not an easy problem to solve especially since most Christian do not think that learning the Word of God is important.
1 Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and we do. So, in the same manner, the God [the omnipotence of God the Father] will bring with Him those [in interim bodies] who have fallen asleep [died] by [the will of] Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15, “For this we communicate to you by the word of the Lord, that we [Paul identifies himself with the Rapture generation] who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord [at the Rapture], will not precede [in meeting the Lord in the air at the Rapture of the Church age believers] those who have fallen asleep [died].” There will be one generation of believers who will be alive when the resurrection takes place; their mortal bodies will become immortal; “shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16, “Because the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a command [will give a command through Gabriel], with the voice of the archangel [for mortality to receive immortality] and with the trumpet of God [the Father’s trumpet command for corruption to become incorruption], in fact, the dead in Christ will rise first [in their resurrection bodies].”
Notice that at the resurrection there are two commands. The voice command of the archangel is for the resurrection of living believers on the earth, mortal believers becoming immortal. They will be changed in a moment from having a mortal body to having a resurrection body. There is a trumpet command of God the Father. The trumpet command is for the resurrection of the dead believers, corruption of the interim body will be turned into incorruption of the Resurrection body.
Since both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit provided the power in providing the humanity of Christ with his resurrection body so will they provide the power in creating the resurrection bodies of Church Age believers at the Rapture of the Church. The Father will use his power in providing the resurrection bodies of those who have already died, whereas God the Holy Spirit will provide the resurrection bodies of those who will be alive at the Rapture.
1 Corinthians 15:53-54, “For this perishable [the interim body of those Christians who died before the Rapture] must put on imperishable [an eternal body], and this mortal [the mortal body of those alive at the Rapture] must put on immortality [eternal body]. (54). But when this perishable [the believer in his interim body] shall have put on the imperishable [resurrection body], and this mortal [the believer alive at the Rapture] shall have put on immortality [resurrection body], then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in [as a result of] victory” (Isaiah 25:8).
1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then, we [Paul identifies himself with those who will be alive at the Rapture] who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:18, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” These doctrines are a source of comfort when you have lost Christian loved ones since the separation is only temporary. They are in heaven in their interim bodies waiting for the Rapture just as you. These doctrines are a source of blessing as you face the adversities of life and realize that there is something far beyond this life, and that God will provide for you an eternal body to be enjoyed in both the Millennium and in the eternal state, a permanent body that will never experience pain or deterioration in any possible way.
The Promise of the Rapture: John 14:1-3, "Do not let your heart [the mentality of the soul] be troubled [addressing future Church age believers]; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you [the apostles but applies to future Church Age believers]; for I go to prepare a place for you [the groom prepares a home for his bride]. If I go [ascension] and prepare a place for you, I will come again [Rapture] and receive you [the Church, his bride] to myself [the ceremony: the bride is presented to the groom], that where I am, there you may be also.”
James gives us an admonition in James 5:7-8, "Therefore, brethren, have patience until the coming of the Lord [Rapture]. The farmer waits with anticipation for the valuable production of the soil, constantly being patient until it has received the early and the latter rains. Have patience! Furthermore, all of you become stabilized in your stream of consciousnesses because the coming of the Lord [Rapture] has approached with the result that it is drawing nearer and nearer."
Titus 2:13, "Waiting with keen anticipation for that blessed hope [Rapture], even the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus."
Three times in Revelation is the phrase, "I am coming soon": Revelation 22:7, 12, 20. Remember that, to the Lord, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day. This statement was made in A.D. 96, and this is now A.D. 2023. Therefore, "soon" connotes imminency, not immediacy.
The Significance of Resurrection as the Lord's Victory:
In John 11:25, Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me shall live even if He dies." So, why are you so concerned about the death of Lazarus!
Just as the death of the believer is the Lord's victory, so the resurrection of the believer is the Lord's victory. The resurrection of the believer is the wise and sovereign decision of God. This means that the believer's volition, cognition, and individual merit are not factors in the resurrection namely the Rapture of the Church. The resurrection is strictly the Lord's victory. For just as we have no control over the manner or time of our death, so we have no control over the manner or time of our resurrection. This is completely a matter of the wisdom and sovereignty of God.
Your resurrection does not depend in any way on your merit or life. Winners and losers alike will receive a resurrection body equally. No distinction is made between winners and losers at the point of receiving resurrection bodies. The Rapture will never occur by the merit of any Christian. So, resurrection is far greater than we can imagine for in resurrection, God makes no distinctions between those who completely fail to execute the Christian way of life and those who succeed in executing the Christian way of life. It has everything to do with who and what the Lord is!
The time, place, and manner of the resurrection of the Church is God's perfect decision based on the completion of the body of Christ, called the royal family of God. Just as the believer has no control over the time, manner, or place of his death, so he has no control over the time, manner, and place of the resurrection. Like the death of the believer, resurrection or the Rapture is the decision of the sovereignty of God. Therefore, it is His victory alone. It is strictly a matter of grace.
1 Corinthians 6:15
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ [a reference to Positional Truth]? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute [a temple priestess in one of the many temples in Corinth; all of these temples were designed for Satanic worship]? May it never be!
οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὰ σώµατα ὑµῶν µέλη Χριστοῦ ἐστιν; ἄρας οὖν τὰ µέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιήσω πόρνης µέλη; µὴ γένοιτο.
1 Corinthians 6:16
Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "The two shall become one flesh."
[ἢ] οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ὁ κολλώµενος τῇ πόρνῃ ἓν σῶµά ἐστιν; Ἔσονται γάρ, φησίν, οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα µίαν.
Genesis 2:24, “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall have sexual intercourse with his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” So, when you cohabit with a priestess or a priest or an animal you are one with whatever is the object of your cohabitation.
In effect, Paul is saying that you can’t have one foot in union with Christ, which is permanent, and one foot in religion through sexual prostitution in one of these Greek temples. The Christian so involved is one with the devil experientially while positionally he is one with Christ? This is about as low as the Christian can become.
1 Corinthians 6:17
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
ὁ δὲ κολλώµενος τῷ κυρίῳ ἓν πνεῦµά ἐστιν.
1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee immorality [When someone suggest immorality, run the opposite direction as fast as you can.]. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body [damages the body].
φεύγετε τὴν πορνείαν· πᾶν ἁµάρτηµα ὃ ἐὰν ποιήσῃ ἄνθρωπος ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώµατός ἐστιν, ὁ δὲ πορνεύων εἰς τὸ ἴδιον σῶµα ἁµαρτάνει.
The Problem and Danger of Premarital Sex:
1. Premarital sex destroys the virtue and values on which compatibility and rapport in marriage are founded. Generally, both men and women enter into premarital sex to satisfy their libido; hence, the involvement of the third arrogance skill, which is self-absorption.
2. Premarital sex generally occurs in the attraction stage of romance which premarital sex in this stage of romance blocks off and closes the door for entering compatibility and rapport, the second and third stages of romance. Therefore, it makes a direct attack on two postulates in marriage. The first postulate: marriage is more than finding the right person; marriage is being the right person. Premarital sex eliminates being the right person, so that the finding of the right person is frustrated with hang-ups and regrets. The second postulate: A happy marriage is like a long conversation that always seems too short. This conversation begins in the attraction stage, increases in compatibility and reaches its peak in the rapport stage in which stage marriage should occur.
3. Premarital sex becomes the enemy of marriage, and can destroy a marriage long before the marriage occurs. Marriages are often destroyed by the pattern of sexuality in adolescence and young adulthood. Premarital sexual experience has an adverse effect on post-marital sex. Periods of unrestrained licentiousness are often followed by periods of unrestrained guilt and depression. Promiscuity before marriage creates handicaps for marriage. The couple involved in fornication and other forms of promiscuity are in the process of destroying the very Biblical standards of virtue required for a successful marriage.
4. One of the dangers of premarital sex is the development of an arrogant problem regarding self-gratification, in which a single person desires sexual sensation rather than an honorable relationship with a sexual partner in marriage. So, instead of developing integrity, the person follows his lust pattern creating scar tissue in the soul and garbage in the sub-consciousness, and at the same time destroying the physical potential of having wonderful sex with his or her mate in marriage. Self-gratification is no substitute for integrity and honor.
5. Principles of Application.
a. Application without truth is false.
b. Application without fact is fiction.
c. Application from emotion is irrationality.
d. Application without principle is life without direction.
e. Application without doctrine is distorted learning.
f. Application without virtue is distorted living.
6. Premarital sex not only abandons the virtue necessary for compatibility and rapport, but causes the fornicators to encapsulate their so-called romance in deceitful lust. Hence, the basis for their alleged romantic love is related to the sins of arrogance and the sins of emotion rather than virtue.
7. The strength of romantic love is virtue. For the unbeliever this virtue is attained through the observance of the Laws of Divine Establishment, Ecclesiastes 9:9, “Enjoy life with the woman [the man had integrity and so properly prepared himself for marriage likewise the woman] whom you love all the days of your fleeting life [since they are unbelievers] which He [the Lord] has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life [having a great marriage] and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun [the unbelieving man also has happiness in his right occupation].” For the believer, this virtue is attained through his advance to spiritual maturity. Only in spiritual maturity, can the woman and man obey the mandates found in Ephesians 5.
8. Loss of standards through premarital sex creates two categories of problems which destroy romance and marriage namely the problem of the arrogance and lust controlling one’s life and the problem of substituting emotion as the criterion for love and romance. This is tantamount to irrationality in the relationship since there is no doctrinal content, no Problem-Solving Devices, no common sense, and no discernment in emotion.
9. Reactions related to promiscuity: Entering a life of promiscuity with many sex partners results in Christian immoral degeneracy and reactions. The reaction of seeking comparable stimulation in chemical dependence when your sex is cut off. The reaction of depression, self-pity, and even suicide.
10. Biblical warning against premarital sex in addition to passage above. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification [experiential] that you should abstain [infinitive of purpose] from fornication [an illicit sexual life], (4) in order that each one of you [each believer, male and female] should know how to possess [middle voice: you are benefited] his own vessel [body] in sanctification [experiential sanctification] and honor.” Hebrews 13:4, “Let marriage be held in honor by all [who are married], and let the marriage bed be undefiled [the relationship of marriage unsoiled by infidelity], for you see [the reason for the previous statement] God will judge fornicators and adulterers [When a statement like this is made, it means an extremely harsh judgment].”
11. Premarital sex handicaps rapport. Both men and women enter into premarital sex to satisfy their own libido. When this occurs, there is no genuine love or sense of responsibility for their sex partners, the man especially violates any sense of responsibility when he engages in premarital sex. When a man seduces a woman for his self-gratification, the woman is left frustrated. This produces a handicap to achieving premarital rapport.
12. Why one should not have premarital sex! Premarital sex handicaps one from being the right person. Premarital sex eliminates being the right person, so that finding the right person is frustrated with regrets. Premarital sex generally eliminates the possibility of ever attaining compatibility or rapport in marriage. However, after marriage compatibility and rapport with diligent spiritual advance can still be accomplished.
13. Premarital sexual experience has an adverse effect on post-marital sex. Premarital sexual experience often hinders any chance of a successful marriage, because it eliminates both compatibility and the rapport stages of marriage. Premarital sexual experience often results in Christian immoral degeneracy which eliminates the virtue prerequisite for a successful marriage. Remember that the most important factor regarding sex is virtue.
14. Promiscuity destroys discernment. The attraction stage of romance may cloud one’s discernment and so is the most vulnerable to premarital sex. In the attraction stage of romance, premarital sex destroys the spiritual life, eliminates the understanding and use of the Problem-Solving Devices of the Protocol Plan of God, and keeps a lot of believers from ever executing God’s plan for their lives.
15. Recovery of virtue after it is lost through licentiousness: Promiscuity leads to emotional revolt of the soul, which converts a genuine personal love into pseudo love. Emotional revolt of the soul does not have capacity for true love. The irrationality of emotional revolt of the soul takes over the life and erodes the virtue-standards on which true love is based. For the believer, premarital sex substitutes the emotional complex of sins: guilt, fear, worry, hatred, anger, anxiety, and occasionally murder. Reestablishment of virtue not only includes the use of the Recovery Procedure, but demands inculcation of doctrine, and the function of the Problem-Solving Devices.
16. Illicit sex is one path to disaster. Why God forbids premarital sex. Periods of unrestrained licentiousness are always followed by periods of unrestrained guilt and depression. Licentiousness often results in suicide. Men and women are responsible for their own decisions in life. The woman uses her own free will to respond to the man’s sexual advances. She may blame the man afterwards, but she is just as guilty. The road to disaster is always paved with sex, drugs, and excessive alcohol.
17. Premarital sex destroys arousal patterns and mutually satisfactory fulfillment. There is a physiological factor in sexual arousal, as noted in the phrase “one flesh” in Genesis 2:24; Fornication destroys the rhythm and the pattern. Libido is the function of biological sex, but maximum effectiveness of sex in marriage depends on other factors such as status quo of the soul, the function of the spiritual life, and attainment of spiritual maturity. Major handicaps occur through premarital sexual activity which numb normal sexual responses and normal sexual rhythms. 1 Corinthians 6:18 implies that violation of premarital chastity decreases the source of sexual energy in marriage. This is why sex becomes dull for married people.
18. Generally, premarital sexual experience solidifies the mind-set a person will have toward sex for the rest of his life. Apart from the overruling grace of God, the effects of premarital sexual experience on the husband and wife are detrimental, and often disastrous.
19. Bondage verses liberation: The more premarital sex partners one has, the more difficult it is to adjust to one partner in marriage. Each premarital sexual relationship tends to be conditioned to the response pattern of the other person involved. Many premarital sexual encounters produce a variety of responses and rhythms. Hence, the sexual acts result in a specific response pattern for each person. A new premarital sex encounter does not extinguish the previous pattern of the previous sexual relationship. Therefore, promiscuity eventuates in sexual conditioning to a composite of one’s sexual affairs. Unrestrained sexual activity does not lead to freedom, but to bondage. Premarital control of sexuality is liberation for it prevents the handicaps of fornication etc. Undisciplined, uncontrolled premarital sexuality hinders effective sexual relationship in marriage. Premarital chastity produces self-control, which makes a husband an effective lover of his wife and the wife an effective responder.
Sexual Perversion:
This is the degeneracy of homosexuality and lesbianism etc. and its influence where it is accepted and not punished by the law. It creates a degeneracy that destroys a nation.
1. Both homosexuality and lesbianism are not only perverted sexual functions of the sin nature but also manifestations of reversionism and will be punished by the Supreme Court of Heaven as illustrated historically by God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. Psychologist Alfred Adler admits that “homosexuals have a deep-seated revolt against adjustment to the normal sex role”, plus “a tendency to depreciate females, plus a display of increased over-sensitivity, ambition, defiance, distrust of others, and a desire to dominate.” Lesbians have a similar attitude toward men.
3. No one is born as a homosexual or as a lesbian. Rather these perversions are the result of the rejection of truth.
4. Other sexual abnormalities include: a) Transvestism: A male sexually stimulated by wearing the clothes of a female, and vice versa. b) Sadism: The derivation of sexual pleasure through cruelty and inflicting pain, humiliation, and other forms of suffering on individuals. In other words, they are sexually aroused through brutality. c) Masochism: The derivation of sexual pleasure from experiencing pain and humiliation. d) Necrophilia: Sexual relationship with a corpse. e) Necrosadism: Sexual arousal through the mutilation of a corpse. f) Sexual murder: Sexual arousal by killing another person of the opposite sex. g) Narcism: Sexual arousal from contemplating, admiring, or caressing one’s own body. h) Pedophilia: Called pederasty in which an adult, usually a male, is sexually attracted to younger boys. i) Bestiality: Sex with animals. j) Incest: The sin and crime of having sexual intercourse with a parent, child, sibling, or a grandchild.
All abnormal involvement in sexual sins can be reversed, but the road back to normality is not easy. As it took many sins to get to the point of perverted sexual activity, so, it will take many good decisions to recover. A believer will need to become extremely consistent in learning the Word of God while simultaneously avoiding these sins.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὸ σῶµα ὑµῶν ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ὑµῖν ἁγίου πνεύµατός ἐστιν, οὗ ἔχετε ἀπὸ θεοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἑαυτῶν;
The Indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.
The purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is to provide a temple in the body of every Church Age believer for the indwelling of Jesus Christ as the Shekinah Glory and the indwelling of God the Father. No believer in the Old Testament was ever indwelt by the Spirit nor will any believer in the Tribulation or in the Millennium be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
Both the Sin Nature and the Holy Spirit reside in the body of the believer and wage battle against one another for control of the soul. Galatians 5:17. For the Flesh [sin nature] desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit is against [totally opposed to] the sin nature for these [two] are constantly battling against each other [for control of the soul] [and you have subordinated yourselves to the sin nature] so that you are not doing the things which you might wish to do [Even though most wished to execute God’s will, they were failing.” This is expressed through a 3rd Class Conditional Clause].
1 Corinthians 6:20
For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.
ἠγοράσθητε γὰρ τιµῆς· δοξάσατε δὴ τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῷ σώµατι ὑµῶν.
We should appreciate our Redemption. The saving work of Jesus Christ on the Cross whereby every human being is purchased from the slave market of sin in which he was born in real, spiritual death. Redemption is viewed from the standpoint of a ransom paid on the cross for our salvation. Redemption is realized when a person is born-again by faith in Jesus Christ. As believers we should want to glorify the members of the Trinity with our souls and bodies.
Glorifying God in our Body:
1. Violating this command is related to 1 Corinthians 6:15-17, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ [a reference to Positional Truth]? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute [a temple priestess in one of the many temples in Corinth; all of these temples were designed for Satanic worship]? May it never be! (16) Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "The two shall become one flesh." (17) But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
2. So, when you cohabit with a priestess or a priest or an animal you are one with whatever is the object of your cohabitation. In effect, Paul is saying that you can’t have one foot in union with Christ, which is permanent, and one foot in religion through sexual prostitution in one of these Greek temples. The Christian so involved is one with the devil experientially while positionally he is one with Christ? This is about as low as the Christian can become.
3. So, glorifying God with our bodies has nothing to do with health. In other words, one can glorify God with advanced cancer, or while eating processed foods, or while driving behind a bus belching out diesel exhaust etc.
4. Warning to a potential legalist: don’t distort this command regarding glorifying God in your body.
This closes out 1st Corinthians 6. In closing, if there should be someone here who has not personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior, let me remind him of John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son [does not believe in Him] will not see life [will not receive eternal life with God], but the wrath of God abides on him [He will be sentenced to the Lake of Fire].” You are free to make a decision for Christ and eternal life with God, likewise, you are free to reject the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and subsequently spend all eternity in terrible misery. The choice is yours!
Father, we thank you for the message this evening, and we pray that those hearing this message might metabolize it for their continued spiritual advance. In Christ’s name [person], Amen.
