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 John: Chapter Two
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
1 John 2:1
My dear children [John’s non-face to face-congregation], I keep on writing these things to you in order that you may not sin [a minister should discourage sinning], nevertheless, if anyone sins [a volitional issue and always a potential], we have a defense attorney before the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.
Τεκνία µου, ταῦτα γράφω ὑµῖν ἵνα µὴ ἁµάρτητε. καὶ ἐάν τις ἁµάρτῃ, παράκλητον ἔχοµεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δίκαιον·
The Greek word ‘teknon’ means child or student under authority. However, when one inserts the Greek iota as did John, the word ‘teknion’ is formed. The meaning then becomes little or dear child or student under authority. Since John loved his congregation, he used the word teknia, the plural of teknion. By the way, John demonstrated his love by his teaching them the spiritual life.
The apostles like Paul and John did much of their teaching through the writing of their epistles and other letters which did not become a part of the canon of Scripture. John probably wrote at least one letter per week which would be read before the congregation by someone with a good voice. This clearly implies that one does not require face to face teaching for spiritual growth. Today, many Christians listen to their pastor’s teaching via MP3s and DVDs and successfully grow in their spiritual lives.
The communicator of God’s word should discourage the members of his congregation from sinning for a number of reasons. Every time the believer sins, he has lost the opportunity to use one of the Problem Solving Devices. Furthermore, rather than gaining momentum from the application of God’s word to his experience, he comes to a complete halt in his spiritual life. Finally, rather than being blessed by God as he advances, he is being punished.
One of the first steps in discouraging sin is to teach the subject of the Sin Nature for if one doesn’t know that he possesses one, how is he able to cope with it.
The lust pattern of the sin nature includes: Power lust, approbation lust and inordinate ambition, pleasure lust as per 2 Timothy 3:4, “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,” sexual lust which includes fornication, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, lesbianism, necrophilia, the sexual sins of evil, such as the phallic cult, the sexual sins of crime such as rape, incest, pederasty, prostitution, and pandering. Then, there is social lust which manifest itself in a desire to dominate in social life, revenge lust, monetary lust which is greed, chemical lust, including drug addiction and the abuse of alcohol, crusader lust, which is Christian activism which includes civil disobedience, criminality, paramilitary organizations, vigilante activities, anti-Semitism, refusal to pay taxes, terrorism, utopian socialism) etc.
Principles related to lust: Lust destroys the motivation of the believer to execute the protocol plan of God. Lust is a distraction to the modus vivendi and modus operandi of the Christian way of life. Lust divorces the believer from reality, causing unrealistic expectation namely obtaining the object of a particular lust will make one happy. Functioning under lust eliminates understanding and using the problem solving devices. Functioning under lust destroys spiritual self-esteem and replaces it with inordinate desire related to self-gratification.
Lust in itself is not sin.
James 1:14, 15, "But each one [analogy to a man being tempted to fornicate] is tempted when he is lured away [enticed] and entrapped by his own lust [analogy to a female seductress]. Then when lust has conceived [becomes pregnant: the believer makes the decision to sin], it gives birth to sin [the believer has committed the sin], and when the sin has become fully grown [the believer continues to involve himself in some sin over a long period of time], it brings forth death [the sin unto death]."
The analogy here is to a woman tempting a man into fornication or adultery. Metaphorically, lust is personified as a seductress. She tempts him by her seductive body and speech arousing in him, hope of great pleasure and happiness. If the man listens to this Siren while gazing upon her form too long, he will soon be entrapped.
Temptation comes either from our own lusts or from people or from both. Lust always promises a person pseudo happiness. “Being carried or lured away” is the concentration on some lust. The believer becomes “entrapped” when the lust becomes overwhelming that there is no hope of escape.
Temptation from lust is not sin. Sin occurs after the believer consents to some lust. A believer may be tempted by monetary lust, but rejects that temptation. He has not sinned, but if he accepts that lust as his motivation and robs a bank, he has committed the sins of greed and robbery.
If a Christian does not learn the spiritual life and develop love for the God, he will never gain enough motivation to bring his sin nature under control. Each believer tends to have a favorite sin such as jealousy, worry, fear, gossip, fornication, self- pity etc. Year after year the believer commits that same sin without any regard for God and his plan (the believer’s favorite sin or sin grows into adulthood). God in his love for that believer will step by step increase his punishment of that believer. However, if the believer does not respond to the discipline and allows his sin to become fully grown, God will make a sovereign decision to take that believer to heaven; this is called the sin unto death (Rom. 8:13; Num. 21:6; I John 5:16
Jesus Christ, our Advocate in Heaven:
The believer continues to sin after salvation, 1 John 1:8-10. Satan takes advantage of this by accumulating a sin-file on every believer and periodically accuses the believer in heaven. This is not a problem since Jesus Christ functions as the believer's defense attorney in the court of heaven. Our defense attorney has the integrity to handle these cases, “Jesus Christ the Righteous.” The basis for our Lord's defense is the fact that all our sins were judged on the cross by God the Father, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin as a substitute for us that we might become the righteousness of God by Him.” Under the law of double jeopardy, those sins cannot be judged again, Rom 6:10a, “For the [substitutionary spiritual] death which he died, he died for sin once and for all.” Hence, every case that Satan brings against believers is thrown out of court by the Lord, Zechariah 3:1-2, “Then he showed me Joshua, the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him [regarding Joshua’s sins]. The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebukes you. Is this not a brand plucked from the fire [a believer saved by my future work on the Cross]?”
1 John 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only, but for those of the entire world.
καὶ αὐτὸς ἱλασµός ἐστιν περὶ τῶν ἁµαρτιῶν ἡµῶν, οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡµετέρων δὲ µόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσµου.
The work of Propitiation has been accomplished on the cross but this work must be appropriated by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the Father was propitiated by the work of Christ on the cross, he is free to impute to anyone his righteousness. So, at the point of personal faith in Christ, the person receives imputed righteousness, and then is declared righteous (justified) by the Father and so is qualified to enter into an eternal relationship with the members of the Trinity.
Romans 3:20-28, “Because by means of the works of the Law no flesh will be justified [declared righteous] in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the [imputed] righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God), being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God has publicly displayed by His blood [the work of propitiation is in view] as the mercy seat [a propitiation] through faith for a demonstration of His righteousness [the Father has perfect integrity], because of the passing over of previously committed sins [the sins committed by the human race before the cross], because of the delay in judgment from God [the cross occurred many thousands of years after the beginning of humanity]; I say for a demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, in order that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? Definitely not, but by the law of faith. Therefore we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.”
Propitiation was depicted on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement, the day of covering). On that day and only on that day, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies twice carrying a small pot of blood gathered from slain animals. One time for himself and his family; the second time for the sins of Israel. Each time he entered, he would sprinkle the blood between the Cherubim on top of the Mercy Seat, the propitiatory seat. The Cherubim represented the integrity of God namely his righteousness and justice. Inside of the Ark, Moses placed the Tablets of the Law, Aaron’s rod which budded and a pot of Manna. These three represented the sins of Israel. The cherub representing the righteousness of God as it were looked down upon these three items in the Ark and demanded punishment. Then the other Cherub representing the justice of God executed punishment. The punishment is represented by the blood namely the future work of Jesus on the cross which blood had been sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat. Then, the Cherub of righteousness was satisfied (propitiated).
Even though God knew that many would not believe in Jesus Christ, it did not change the principle namely salvation is for the entire race, 1 Timothy 2:3, “This is good and acceptable before Our Savior, God who desires all mankind to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of truth”. Therefore, Jesus Christ was punished for the sins of everyone. 1 John 2:2, "And He is the propitiation for our sins, but not for our sins only, but also for the entire world." 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died [a substitutionary spiritual death] for our sins once and for all, the righteous as a substitute for the unrighteous [the entire human race] that He might bring us to God having been put to death in the flesh [his physical death], but made alive by the Spirit [Holy Spirit participated in providing Him a resurrection body.”
1 John 2:3
And by this we know that we have known him [the mature believer] if [3rd class conditional sentence: maybe we do and maybe we don’t] we keep on guarding his mandates [all of them].
Καὶ ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκοµεν ὅτι ἐγνώκαµεν αὐτόν, ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶµεν.
The verb in the phrase, “that we have known Him” is in the perfect tense. The process of this perfect tense began at salvation and continued up to this present point. The perfect tense views the results namely we have learned his mandates one by one and obeyed them over the years. We now have arrived at a point where we have learned all His mandates. The obedience of all these mandates is the sign that we love the Lord Jesus Christ.
The phrase “having known Him is a synonym for loving Christ. John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will guard [keep] my mandates.
1 John 2:4
The one who says that I have known him [having a great relationship with Christ namely the mature believer], and does not keep his mandates is a liar and the truth is not in him.
ὁ λέγων ὅτι Ἔγνωκα αὐτόν, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ µὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστίν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν·
No Christian can say that he loves Christ (having known Him) if he is disobeying the Lord’s mandates as found in Scripture. It would be like a woman alleging to love her husband, but neither knows him nor obeys him. It would be absurd!
There is a difference between someone who is a liar and someone who occasionally tells a lie. The Christian who does not execute the spiritual life under the two power options lives a lie. He constantly functions under the arrogance skills such as self-justification, self-deception and self-absorption; a Christian with no truth in his soul and so no application of truth.
1 John 2:5
Whoever keeps his word, truly in this one [the mature believer] the love for God has been brought to completion. By this we know that we are in him [in fellowship with Christ as per John 1:3].
ὃς δ’ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ τετελείωται. ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκοµεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσµεν·
Friends have fellowship with each other. Christ does not call too many believers his friend. He called Abraham his friend in 2 Chronicles 20:7, “Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people, Israel and give to the descendants of Abraham, Your friend forever.” James confirms this accolade, in James 2:23b, “and he [Abraham] was called the friend of God.”
1 John 2:6
The one who says that he abides in him [has fellowship with Christ] ought himself to walk [advance in the spiritual life] just as That one walked [advanced in the spiritual life].
ὁ λέγων ἐν αὐτῷ µένειν ὀφείλει καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησεν καὶ αὐτὸς περιπατεῖν.
Jesus executed the spiritual life for Luke states in 2:52, “And Jesus kept on increasing in wisdom and stature and in grace before God and men.” Isaiah 11:2 states, “And the Spirit of the Lord [the Holy Spirit] will rest on him [providing the power] the Spirit of wisdom [the Holy Spirit provided the power to develop wisdom] and of understanding [perception of doctrine], the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge [a reference to the Lord’s ability to interpret the trends of history] and of the fear of the Lord [awe, respect and love for God the Father].” Jesus Christ during his 1st Advent was able not to sin (posse non peccare) because he had the spiritual life just mentioned above, and He was not able to sin (non posse peccare) since He was God. Though His humanity was able to sin, but didn’t, he reached the cross perfect and so was qualified to be judged for the sins of the world “the righteous as a substitute for the unrighteous.” So, as Jesus functioned under His spiritual life as mentioned above, so we should execute the spiritual life given to us.
1 John 2:7-29
2 Chronicles 7:14, “And if my people [a client nation] who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven; will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” We need to pray for our president, our military and civilian leaders every day.
Leading causes of death in the United States per year:
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Heart disease: 647,457
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Cancer: 599,108
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Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936
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Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201
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Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383
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Alzheimer’s disease: 121,404
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Diabetes: 83,564
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Influenza and pneumonia: 55,672
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Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,633
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Intentional self-harm (suicide): 47,173
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Fatalities from car accidents: 36,000
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Murders: about 17,000
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Covid-19 Pandemic: about 4,000
This worldwide hysteria is ridiculous over what may happen, but has not happened. If his nonsense continues, more will die from suicide and starvation than by this virus. Christians should know better since they should understand that the Lord Jesus Christ chooses the manner, place and time of our death (1 Corinthians 15:57). For the unbeliever, it presents a perfect opportunity to turn to the Lord and believe in Jesus Christ as his Savior. However, when the Government plays the role of God, people seek after government for their security rather than the Lord.
1 John 2:7
Beloved I do not write to you a new command [regarding personal love for God and unconditional love toward people] but an old command that you had from the beginning [Jesus Christ taught this same subject in John 15:9-17]. The old command is the word which you heard.
Ἀγαπητοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑµῖν, ἀλλ’ ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε.
The deity of the Lord has always loved us. For trillions and trillions of years the Lord has had infinite love for each believer. Therefore, it is the responsibility, the duty and the privilege of each Christian to return that love, to reciprocate that love. “We ourselves [the mature believer love [God is understood] because he himself first loved us [in eternity past], 1 John 4:19,” Now, that love is based on knowing Him (John 15:15), and if we know and obey the Lord, we not only love Him, but share His happiness (John 15:11) and we become His friends (John 15:15).
John 15:9-17, "Just as the father has loved me also I have loved you. Abide in the sphere of my love. (10) If [maybe you will; maybe you won’t] you keep my mandates, you are abiding in my love just as I have kept the mandates of my father and abided [historical present] in his love. (11) These things I have communicated to you so that My happiness may be in you [metabolized doctrine in the soul], and that your happiness might be brought to completion [by becoming a mature believer]. (12) This is My commandment, that you love one another [impersonal love toward other believers motivated by personal love toward God], just as I have [personally] loved you. (13) No one has greater love than this that he lay down his life for his friends. (14) You are My friends [way less than 1%] if [maybe you will] you do what I command you. (15) No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you [the believer who is will take the time to learn the spiritual life from a prepared pastor]. (16) You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit [the execution of God’s plan], and that your fruit would remain [will have eternal repercussions], so that whatever you [the mature believer knows how to pray] ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. (17) I command these to you in order that you may love one another."
1 John 2:8
Again, I write to you a new command which is true in Him [in Jesus Christ in hypostatic union] and in you that darkness is passing away, and the truth already shines.
πάλιν ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑµῖν, ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑµῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει.
As we move through history, Satan’s system of darkness is slowly passing away, and as we are getting closer to the millennial reign of Christ and the Eternal State, we can already see with our soul the truth of the light shining. Thus, the believer knowing this should focus not on what is fading away, but what will last forever, the eternal shinning truth.
Furthermore, when the believer departs this world, he enters into the presence of the God of Light.
Psalm 23:4, “Also when I [David as a mature believer] walk through the death-shadowed valley [David is dying in the valley made pleasant by the evening shadow], I cannot fear adversity [evil] since you are with me [reciprocal love]. Your rod [divine discipline to motivate the Recovery of Fellowship] and your staff [used for protection and guidance] they comfort me.” When David emerged from the valley, he entered the Light of Eternity. So, it is with the believer. When he dies, he leaves Satan’s cosmic system of darkness and enters into the eternal state.
A dear friend of R. B. Thieme Jr, and a mature believer wrote the following the year before he died; “I have been called to take my journey. The exact date is not set, but the celestial is definitely on. I have a tremendous feeling of excitement building around me. I feel comfort, joy and true inner happiness. I am preoccupied with preparation for the trip. My focus is forward. The things I will leave behind are becoming less and less significant. I am beginning to feel a tremendous source of energy filling my soul. I feel no remorse or self-pity, no anger for having to leave behind the career, the achievements, and the material things. I feel no envy, no jealousy of others planning their lives and being occupied with important things we all strive for in the living phase, but I do feel a real deep and genuine sadness for the wonderful and dear people around me giving all they have from the bottom of their souls and their very beings to comfort me. I know that some I will never see again, and some will be with me again for we are all going on the same journey that I have been scheduled to take.”
1 John 2:9
The one who says that he is in the Light [in fellowship with God] and is hating his brother, he is in the darkness until now [out of fellowship and walking in darkness].
ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ µισῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι.
Mental sins such as hatred are a sure sign that the believer is out of fellowship. In fact, the believer cannot sin if he is in the Light that is under the authority of the Spirit. Today, in the USA most Christians do not understand the spiritual life; they are not using the two power options. Look at the fear and hysteria occurring in the States. Doesn’t it remind one of the Exodus generation. The only difference I see is the difference in leadership. They had Moses who emphasized freedom, we have a government that is stripping the American people of their privacy, freedom and property.
1 John 2:10
The one who loves his brother, abides in the Light, and there is no stumbling in him [Since he is walking in the light, he can see where he is going. He is not blinded by darkness].
ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ µένει, καὶ σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν·
1 John 2:11
But the one [the believer] who hates his brother is in darkness [in Satan’s plan] and walks in darkness [his lifestyle], and he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes [the believer without truth in his soul cannot understand God’s plan].
ὁ δὲ µισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ, καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλµοὺς αὐτοῦ.
Ephesians 4:17-19. Therefore I communicate this and because of the Lord, I insist that you no longer walk [have a lifestyle] even as the gentile's walk in the vacuum of their thinking [Because the unbeliever has very little truth in his soul, he cannot defend against false concepts],
Ephesians 4:18. Having been darkened [by a lack of light (truth)] in their understanding and having been alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance which is in them [in their souls], because of the hardness [callousness, scar tissue] of their hearts [of the mentality of their souls].
Ephesians 4:19. Because they having become calloused by scar tissue, and they have given themselves over to licentiousness [lasciviousness, debauchery, unrestrained sinfulness] resulting in the practice of every kind of immorality and with greediness and insatiable lust [there is never enough],
1 John 2:12
I write to you, dear students [his unseen congregation] that your sins have been forgiven because of His person.
Γράφω ὑµῖν, τεκνία, ὅτι ἀφέωνται ὑµῖν αἱ ἁµαρτίαι διὰ τὸ ὄνοµα αὐτοῦ.
Our pre-salvation sins along with our post-salvation sins are forgiven by the Father because of the work of Christ on the cross. Because Christ bore the punishment of all sins on the cross, God the Father is able to forgive the person of all of his pre-salvations sins as part of the salvation package. Then, after salvation, every time the believer names his sins, the Father forgave him in grace.
1 John 2:13
Fathers [mature believers], I write to you that you have known Him from the beginning [The perfect tense emphases the results of a process which began at beginning of their salvation with emphasis on the result: They are now mature believers.]. Young men, [advancing believers who understand God’s plan] that you have overcome the evil one [They are defeating Satan and his plan by advancing in the spiritual life].
γράφω ὑµῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς. γράφω ὑµῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.
1 John 2:14
I have written to you, dear children [new believers] that you have known the Father [They have learned about God’s attributes and a few other things]. I have written to you, fathers [mature believers] that you have known him [harmonious relationship with the Father and his plan] from the beginning [The process of learning God’s word began at their salvation]. I have written to you young men that you are strong [in doctrine], and the Word of God abides in you [in your souls], and you have overcome the evil one [they understand their objectives and destiny; have gotten good control over their sin nature and in general have rejected Satan’s plan].
ἔγραψα ὑµῖν, παιδία, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν πατέρα. ἔγραψα ὑµῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς. ἔγραψα ὑµῖν, νεανίσκοι,ὅτι ἰσχυροί ἐστε καὶ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ὑµῖν µένει καὶ νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν.
1 John 2:15
Stop loving the cosmic system [Satan’s plan] and the things in the cosmos system [all that Satan offers to distract the believer]; if anyone keeps loving the cosmic system, the love for the Father is not in him [lost his motivational virtue].
Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσµον µηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσµῳ. ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσµον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ·
Cosmic thinking emphasizes arrogance and preoccupation with self which represents Satan's arrogance and thinking at his fall. After the fall of man, Satan’s philosophy as the ruler of the world took on a new dimension. In proving that he was as great if not greater than the Lord, he developed great animosity, hatred, and antagonism toward God and His plan, and does everything he can to destroy it. The Christian who rejects the Father’s plan will develop this same hatred etc. and antagonism of the Father’s plan while simultaneously developing a love for Satan’s cosmic plan and system.
Satan has many ways of promoting unbelievers and Christians. He promises wealth and riches without integrity; love and romance without capacity; promotion and authority without concern or responsibility; power and approbation without humility; achievement and recognition without happiness etc.
Satan counterfeits everything in God’s plan.
Religion is the creation of Satan’s genius to counterfeit the plan of God. His religion includes the following counterfeits:
1. Gospel, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing. In whose case the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbeliever that he might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
2. Ministers, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, “Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their deeds.”
3. Doctrine, 1 Timothy 4:1, “some will fall away from the faith paying attention to deceitful personalities and the doctrine of demons.”
4. Communion table, 1 Corinthians 10:19-21, “they sacrifice to demons...you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.”
5. Spirituality, Galatians 3:2-3, “This is the only thing that I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
6. Righteousness: Matthew 19:16-28 tells us about the proud rich young ruler. The Mosaic Law is distorted into self-righteousness, which self-righteousness rejects faith in Christ. Galatians 2:16, “Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” Matthew 23:13, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men [teach the way of salvation incorrectly]. For you neither go in [they do not believe in Christ], nor do you allow those entering [a person positive at God consciousness] to go in [blinded by religion].”
7. Power and dynamics (miracles, healing, tongues) 2 Thessalonians 2:9, “whose presence [the dictator of the revived Roman empire] shall be according to the modus operandi of Satan with all power signs and false wonders.”
False teachers are a part of his strategy, 1 John 4:1-3.
1. They have a phony, hypocritical facade. They are bleeding-heart do-gooders, who “love” everyone, being all things to all men apart from any standards based on Bible doctrine, Matthew 7:15. They seek to stimulate your ego, Rom 16:18.
2. They promote idolatry. Habakkuk 2:18-19, “What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, or an image, a teacher of falsehood for its maker trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols.” Woe to him who says to a piece of wood’ awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ and that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all inside it.”
3. False teachers make assertions about things they know nothing about which assertions usually deal with some form of false teaching. 1 Timothy 1:6, 7, “For some men straying from these things have turned aside to fruitless discussions, wanting to be teachers of the Law even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.”
4. They possess a false spirit, 1 John 4:1-3, “ Beloved, do not believe every personality, but test the person to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have come out into the world. By this you know the person from God: every person that acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every person that does not acknowledge that Jesus is from God: this is the person of the antichrist of which you have heard that he is coming, and now he [a false teacher] is already in the world.”
Satan has a strategy to control nations.
1. His strategy is based on conspiracy and deceit, which explains the basis of war, Revelation 12:9; 20:3, 8.
2. He is the author of every world peace movement.
3. He is the chief opponent of the laws of divine establishment related to the individual’s privacy, property, freedom; also he attacks marriage, family and seeks to breakdown the sovereignty of any nation where establishment, evangelism, and Bible Christianity is functioning.
4. Internationalism is Satanic in any form.
5. His policy is power politics: violence, tyranny, and change. Part of his function is to malign the proper function of law and order such as attacking the honorable policeman, the judge who is properly interpreting and executing the law.
6. He sponsors religious liberalism. He is anti-free market, anti-correct military function, but pro socialism and the welfare-state.
Satan has a specific policy--evil.
1. This was first seen in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Then when the original parents ate from that tree, they committed sin. So, these three are related.
2. Chafer’s Systematic Theology, Vol. II, pp. 100, 108-110, gives a fantastic description of Satan’s system of evil.
1 John 2:16
Because all which is in the cosmic system: the lust of the sin nature [throws up temptation], the lust of the eyes [motivational evil] and the arrogant pattern of life [functional evil] is not from the Father, but is from the cosmic system [Satan’s system].
ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσµῳ, ἡ ἐπιθυµία τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυµία τῶν ὀφθαλµῶν καὶ ἡ ἀλαζονεία τοῦ βίου, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀλλὰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσµου ἐστίν.
1 John 2:17
The cosmic system and its lusts will pass away [at the end of human history] but the one who does the will of the Father keeps residing forever [eternal reward for executing the Father’s will].
καὶ ὁ κόσµος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυµία αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέληµα τοῦ θεοῦ µένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
1 John 2:18
Dear children [those positive] it is the last favorable time [the client nation is in danger and so it may be difficult to listen to the Word under normal conditions], and as you have heard that the antichrist will come [in the Tribulation] even now [in the Church Age] many antichrists have come [anyone in the cosmic system]. This is how we know it is the last time [the client nation is going down].
Παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν, καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν· ὅθεν γινώσκοµεν ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us [believers left the local Church], but they did not really belong to us [not interested in the truth] for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us, but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
ἐξ ἡµῶν ἐξῆλθαν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡµῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡµῶν ἦσαν, µεµενήκεισαν ἂν µεθ’ ἡµῶν· ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡµῶν.
1 John 2:20
But you have an anointing [the Filling of the Spirit] from the Holy One [Jesus Christ], and all of you know [the truth].
καὶ ὑµεῖς χρῖσµα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου, καὶ οἴδατε πάντες.
1 John 2:21
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes out from the truth [every lie is outside of the truth].
οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑµῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν, καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν.
1 John 2:22
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus [reference to his humanity] is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son.
Τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης εἰ µὴ ὁ ἀρνούµενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστός; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος, ὁ ἀρνούµενος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱόν.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “If our Gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
1 John 2:23
No one who denies the Son has [fellowship with] the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has [fellowship with] the Father also.
πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούµενος τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει· ὁ ὁµολογῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει.
1 John 2:24
See that what you have heard from the beginning [of their spiritual lives] remains in you [by continued growth]. If it does, you also will remain in [fellowship with] the Son and in [fellowship with] the Father.
ὑµεῖς ὃ ἠκούσατε ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἐν ὑµῖν µενέτω· ἐὰν ἐν ὑµῖν µείνῃ ὃ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἠκούσατε, καὶ ὑµεῖς ἐν τῷ υἱῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ µενεῖτε.
1 John 2:25
And this is what he promised us, even eternal life.
καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡµῖν, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον.
1 John 2:26
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
Ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑµῖν περὶ τῶν πλανώντων ὑµᾶς.
1 John 2:27
As for you, the anointing [the Holy Spirit related to his teaching ministry] which you received from him [Jesus Christ cf. v. 20 ] resides in you [indwelling of the Spirit], and you do not have need that anyone be teaching you [caused to teach you], but as his anointing teaches you [the Holy Spirit teaches through the gift of the Pastor-teacher] about all things [related to God’s word] and as that anointing is true, not a lie- just as he [the anointing: the Holy Spirit] has taught you, remain in him [in fellowship with the Son which implies also fellowship with the Father: verse 24 ].
καὶ ὑµεῖς τὸ χρῖσµα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ µένει ἐν ὑµῖν, καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ἵνα τις διδάσκῃ ὑµᾶς· ἀλλ’ ὡς τὸ αὐτοῦ χρῖσµα διδάσκει ὑµᾶς περὶ πάντων, καὶ ἀληθές ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ψεῦδος, καὶ καθὼς ἐδίδαξεν ὑµᾶς, µένετε ἐν αὐτῷ.
The Holy Spirit who is resident in our bodies uses his power to make the Word of God understandable to us. The pastor communicates the Word; the Holy Spirit does the teaching and causes us through his power to learn. So, without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we could not metabolize the messages of our pastor.
John 14:26, “But the paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” By interpretation, this applies to the Lord’s disciples, by application, it applies to us.
The pastor must study under the filling of the Holy Spirit otherwise he could not learn the Word of God. When he has learned the word of God, he then teaches it to his congregation. If the members of the congregation are not filled with the Spirit, they can neither comprehend nor metabolize the Word. So, in effect who would you say is the real teacher, the Holy Spirit or the pastor?
If you believe that the Holy Spirit communicates the revelation of God directly to each believer without agents possessing the spiritual gift of communication such as prophets, apostles and pastor-teachers, then all these things in the Bible which were communicated by these men verbally and in written form would not be legitimate.
1 John 2:28
Now, dear students [children], keep on abiding in him [keep on having fellowship with God] that if He should appear [the imminency of the Rapture], we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame in his presence [at the Rapture]
Καὶ νῦν, τεκνία, µένετε ἐν αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἐὰν φανερωθῇ σχῶµεν παρρησίαν καὶ µὴ αἰσχυνθῶµεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
The Greek says, “in order that if he should appear” which means that maybe it would occur during Paul’s lifetime and maybe it would occur after the time of Paul. This is a way of stating that the Rapture is imminent, but no one knows when it will occur.
Shame is defined as painful feeling originating from the consciousness regarding something dishonorable, wrong, and causes terrible regret. The shame of failure to fulfill God's plan under the principle of equal opportunity and equal opportunity. This is a very temporary shame; for there is no sorrow in the eternal state.
The believer in resurrection body at the Rapture who had failed to execute the spiritual life will experience shame during his evaluation by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:18-19, "For many believers [losers] keep walking, concerning whom I have communicated to you many times and now continue communicating even though weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction [the sin unto death], whose god is their emotion, whose glory [human glory] is their shame [at judgment seat of Christ], who keep on thinking about earthly things."
1 John 2:29
If you know [something mastered] that He is righteous [3rd class conditional sentence of probability], then know also that everyone who practices righteousness [spiritual capacity righteousness developed through executing the spiritual life], has been born out from Him [God the Father: the 2nd birth requires learning a spiritual life].
ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ὅτι δίκαιός ἐστιν, γινώσκετε ὅτι καὶ πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται
Your objective after salvation is to obtain spiritual capacity righteousness. This is your capacity for blessing. God never blesses the believer beyond his capacity.
By execution of the spiritual life, the believer avoids shame at the Evaluation throne of Christ. Furthermore, if he executes experiential righteousness in time, he would have capacity for blessing in time; if not, he would not have capacity for blessing in time.
Physical birth demands learning in order to develop one capacity for human life; spiritual birth demands a spiritual life in order to develop one’s capacity.
