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 Thessalonians Chapter Five
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
1 Thessalonians 5:1
But of the times [chronos] and the epochs [kairos], brothers, you have no need that I write to you.
Περὶ δὲ τῶν χρόνων καὶ τῶν καιρῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ὑµῖν γράφεσθαι,
Dispensations:
Dispensations are periods of human history as taught only in the Scripture. Dispensations are divine categories of human history; therefore, both the divine outline and the divine interpretation of human history. Dispensations are the vehicle by which believers living at a specific time in history can orient to God’s will, plan, and purpose for their lives for God’s plan is not the same for every dispensation. In fact, the plan is quite different in each dispensation. The believer’s orientation to both time and to human history is vitally necessary for understanding God’s plan and God’s purpose. Dispensations constitute the divine administration of history.
The following Greek words oikonomia, chronos, Kairos and aion have more than one meaning. So, it is best to see them in context.
The Greek word Oikonomia is translated “dispensation.” It means the administration of a business or an estate, the management of a household. It is translated by three words: order (instead of chaos), a plan (instead of confusion), and arrangement (instead of disarray). It was used in the Attic Greek by Xenophon and Plato, who used it for household administration. It was also used for the authority of parents over children, the provision of parents for their children, and the policy of parents for their children. The study of dispensations connotes policy, administration, and the provision of God for believers in a period of history. The word is used in Eph 1:8-10a, "From which [riches of grace] He has made us [Church Age believers] super-rich by means of all wisdom and understanding (9) when He revealed to us the mystery of His will according to His gracious intention which He [God the Father] planned in Him [Jesus Christ], (10a) with reference to the dispensation [oikonomia] of the fullness of times [Kairos: pre-canon and post-canon period of the Church Age]"
The Greek word chronos is used to portray the chronology of history or time as a series of points. Occasionally, it is used for a section of time in chronology. Shortly before Christ ascended into heaven, His disciples pressed Him regarding the timing of future events in Acts 1:6-7, “And so, when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time [chronos: the time for the 2nd Advent] You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ (7) He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times [the time of the Rapture, the time of the 2nd advent etc. chronos] or epochs [kairos] which the Father has fixed by His own authority.’” Occasionally chronos is used in the Bible for a segment of time and has a dispensational connotation as per Romans 16:25, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the proclaiming of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery [of the Church Age] which has been kept secret for long [aionios] ages past [chronos: dispensations of the gentiles and Israel].”
The Greek word kairos means time as an epoch or era, a chronological order or system, a period characterized by a distinctive development within that period as from the pre-canon to the post-canon periods of the Church Age. In various passages kairos refers to the Church Age as per Romans 8:17, 18, “Now, if we are children and we are, we are also heirs, on the one hand heirs of God [the Father], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed, we suffer [go through undeserved suffering] with Him, that also we might be glorified together with Christ. (18) For I conclude that the sufferings of the present period [Kairos: the dispensation of the Church Age] are not comparable to the glory which is destined to be revealed in us.” Luke 21:24, “and they will fall by the edge of the sword [1.9 million at the siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.] and will be led captive [97 thousand] into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under-foot by the Gentiles until the times [Kairos: in this context more than a dispensation] of the Gentiles are fulfilled [70 AD to the 2nd Advent].”
The Greek word aion is also used for dispensations. Colossians 1:25-27, “Of which [Church] I have become a minister on the basis of this dispensation [oikonomia] from God, which has been given to me for your benefit, that I might implement your deficiency of the Word of God, (26) that is, the mystery [of Church Age doctrines], which has been hidden from past ages [aion: used also for dispensations ] and generations, but now has been revealed to the saints [is a technical term for Church Age believers], (27) to whom God has decreed to make known what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles [in dramatic contrast to the exclusive spiritual position of Jews in the now-suspended Age of Israel] [which mystery is] Christ in you [the indwelling of Christ in every believer, a characteristic unique to the Church Age only], the hope of glory [the believer’s confidence of fulfilling the plan of God for this dispensation].”
The Divine Outline of History:
A. The Theocentric Dispensations
The Age of the Gentiles
1. Positive Volition (the garden)
2. Negative Volition (from the Fall to Abraham)
3. Jewish Patriarchs (Abraham to Moses)
The Nation Israel
1. Theocracy
2. United Kingdom
3. Divided Kingdoms
4. Judea
B. The Christocentric Dispensations
The Hypostatic Union (from the birth of Christ until His ascension; it forms a wall between Israel and the Church)
The Church Age
C. The Eschatological Dispensations
1. The Tribulation (the completion of the Dispensation of Israel as Daniel’s 70th week)
2. The Millennium (The final dispensation)
For a complete presentation of dispensations, one needs to read, “Divine Outline of History” by R. B. Thieme Jr.
1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 deals with the 2nd Advent of Christ. So, it behooves us to distinguish between the Rapture and the 2nd Advent. The following chart was taken from the doctrine of the 2nd Advent by R. B. Thieme Jr.
1 Thessalonians 5:2
For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord [2nd Advent] comes like a thief in the night [suddenly to the earth and the enemies of Israel will be taken by surprise].
αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκριβῶς οἴδατε ὅτι ἡµέρα κυρίου ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτὶ οὕτως ἔρχεται.
There are two advents of Jesus Christ depicted in the Word of God. The First Advent begins with the virgin birth and concludes with the resurrection, ascension, and session. During the First Advent, Jesus Christ in Hypostatic Union accomplishes the strategic victory of the angelic conflict and the salvation-work for all mankind. This strategic victory gives Him battlefield royalty which requires a royal family to go with this royalty. Therefore, there is the need for the Church. The Second Advent is designed to reveal Him as both battlefield royalty and Jewish royalty. He returns to earth in resurrection body and Hypostatic Union.
Analogy to the Second Advent
The Analogy of Nature: Lightning, Matthew 24:27.
a. Seen by all, Revelation 1:7.
b. Travels at great speed, Revelation 22:7, 12.
c. Disturbs and frightens the unenlightened, Revelation 6:15-17.
d. Warning of the coming storm of judgment.
(1) Annihilation of the invading armies.
(2) Judgment of Satan and the fallen angels.
(3) Judgment of the beast and false prophet.
(4) Baptism of fire removes all unbelievers from the earth.
Passages which shed light on the 2nd Advent of Christ:
Matthew 24:27-28 “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west so will the coming of the Son of Man be. [Lightning travels with great speed, the suddenness of the 2nd Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.] (28) Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” [There are millions of troops launching a final attack to destroy Jerusalem toward the end of the Tribulation. These armies come from the north (the area of Russia), east (Asians) and the south (the Arabs). And possibly even the armies of the west, the Revived Roman Empire. Just when it seems hopeless for the wonderful army made up of Jewish believers defending Jerusalem, Jesus Christ returns and slaughters all these armies. After which, it will take the Jews 7 months to bury the dead (Ezekiel 39:11-20). During which time, the vultures will have a feast.]
Revelation 14:20, “Therefore, the wine press [judgment on the armies] was trampled outside of the city [Jerusalem], and the blood flowed out from the wine press up to a horses’ bridle for a distance of one hundred and seventy-five miles.”
Revelation 19:13-18, “He [the Lord Jesus at the 2nd Advent] is clothed with a robe dipped in blood [bloody from all the killing] and His name is called The Word of God [title of the Lord Jesus Christ]. (14) And the armies [Church Age believers in resurrection bodies] which are in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean [the Church Age believers do not participate in the killing], were following Him on white horses [there will be horses in heaven]. (15) From His mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it He may strike down the nations [the ones attacking Jerusalem in anti-Semitism] and He will rule them [nations in the Millennium] with a rod of iron [there will be swift justice] and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty [millions must be killed before the Millennial peace]. (16) And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a title written, “King over Kings, and Lord over Lords. (17) Then I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried out with a loud voice saying to all the birds [the angel knows the bird language] which fly in the heaven, “Come and assemble for the great supper of God [all the armies which were slaughtered by the Lord at His Coming] (18) so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders [military] and the flesh of mighty men [great soldiers] and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men both free men and slaves, both insignificant and great.”
Matthew 24:29, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days [2nd Advent] the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [All light to the earth is removed on the day of his return.]
Zechariah 14:6-7, “In that day [the day of His return] there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it is a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night [both the sun and the moon do not give their light], but it will come about in evening time there will be light [light will accompany the return of Christ].
Isaiah 13:9-10, “Behold the day of the Lord is coming. Cruel, with fury and burning anger [integrity of God executing judgment] to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it [the anti-Semitic enemies]. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light [reflected light]”
Besides being a sign, it protects the Jews who are fighting against a tremendous number of the enemy. These Jews are about to be overrun by the enemy. So, this darkness protects them until Jesus returns for during this complete darkness it is impossible for any soldier to move and fight.
Matthew 24:30, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and then all the tribes of the land [Israel] will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”
Zechariah 12:10, “I will pour out on the dynasty of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication [The 2nd Advent is the beginning of great spirituality in the Millennium] so that they [the unbelievers of the dynasty of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem] will look on me [Jesus Christ at the 2nd Advent] whom they have pierced [rejection of Jesus Christ], and they will weep bitterly over Him as one mourns over an only son, and they will [the Jewish unbelievers] weep over Him like the bitter weeping over the death of the firstborn.”
Revelation 1:7, “Behold He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him [unbelieving Jews who reject Jesus Christ during the Tribulation], and all the [unbelievers of the Jewish] tribes of the land will grieve over Him. So, it shall be. Amen.”
In both the Zechariah and the Revelation passages there are many people piercing Jesus Christ. So, this is not a reference to the one Roman soldier who pierced Jesus Christ while he was on the cross (John 19:34). This views the rejection of Jesus Christ in the Tribulation, the greatest period of evangelism in all of human history, a period of sensational evangelism by the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, by the two heralds, Moses and Elijah and even by angels. Even though there will be a most accurate and lucid presentation of the gospel, most will reject Jesus Christ as savior. What a shock to reject Jesus Christ as personal savior, and then to see Him return to the earth. The unbelieving Jews will mourn when they see that he truly is the Savior, “all the tribes of the land will mourn.”
Isaiah 60:2, “For behold darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the people [invading armies]. However, the Lord will rise upon you [2nd Advent] and his glory will appear [The glory of the Lord moving through supernatural darkness will be the only visible object].”
Luke 21:25-28, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehension of what is coming on the world for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time, they will see [the people on the earth] the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift-up your heads [Jewish believers] because your resurrection is drawing near.”
1 Thessalonians 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and security [through their political alliances]! Then sudden [unexpected] destruction [death] comes on them [the unbelievers on the earth at the Second Advent], as labor pains in pregnancy. And they shall never ever [the subjunctive of emphatic negation] escape [the Armageddon campaign and the Baptism of Fire].
ὅταν λέγωσιν, Εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἰφνίδιος αὐτοῖς ἐφίσταται ὄλεθρος ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ, καὶ οὐ µὴ ἐκφύγωσιν.
1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you, brethren, are not in darkness [in the Cosmic System], that the Day [the 2nd Advent] should overtake you like a thief [Do not remain ignorant of the 2nd Advent like most in the Tribulation by rejecting prophetical teaching].
ὑµεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σκότει, ἵνα ἡ ἡµέρα ὑµᾶς ὡς κλέπτης καταλάβῃ,
1st Thessalonians 5:20, “Stop despising prophetical teachings.” Even though Paul had taught about dispensations, 2nd Advent and the Rapture while in Thessalonica, he had to reteach it since most had rejected his teaching on these subjects. Their attitude was for Paul to explain the spiritual life only and skip prophetical teaching for that is for the spiritual wimps.
1 Thessalonians 5:5
You are all the sons of light [learning the spiritual life] and the sons of the day [applying the light of the Word]. We are not of the night [those who reject doctrine], or of darkness [functioning in the cosmic system].
πάντες γὰρ ὑµεῖς υἱοὶ φωτός ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ἡµέρας. οὐκ ἐσµὲν νυκτὸς οὐδὲ σκότους·
1 Thessalonians 5:6
Therefore let us not sleep [functioning in a state of ignorance] as the rest do, but let us be alert [as to the subtleties of arrogance and the potential to fail just as one reaches spiritual self-esteem] and let us obtain spiritual self-esteem [hold the ground of this first tactical objective].
ἄρα οὖν µὴ καθεύδωµεν ὡς οἱ λοιποί, ἀλλὰ γρηγορῶµεν καὶ νήφωµεν.
Like the Philippians (Philippians 3:15, 16), the Thessalonians have advanced spiritually with astounding speed. However, having arrived at spiritual self-esteem, the most vulnerable stage of the spiritual life, many are failing the subtleties of combining arrogance with emotion namely jealousy and bitterness, and from bitterness to implacability and from the frustration related to implacability comes anger and anger then adds hatred. With hatred comes vindictiveness. (Already one has used the first two Arrogance Skills namely self-justification and self-deception which is strong delusion and finally self-absorption. The believer is no longer using the Recovery Procedure.) With vindictiveness as one motivation comes the desire for action with malice, the lust to hurt, destroy the object of one’s jealousy, bitterness, implacability, anger, hatred etc. Revenge motivation leads to vituperation (gossip, maligning and judging), vilification (start lying about someone; create a public lie about someone), abuse, violence, even murder.
This is why Paul had to state the following: “see that no one repays to anyone evil for evil, but always pursue the good, both towards one another [believers] and towards all [unbelievers].” (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
1 Thessalonians 5:7
For those sleeping sleep in the night [no intake of God’s Word], and those being drunken are drunken in the night [frantic search for happiness].
οἱ γὰρ καθεύδοντες νυκτὸς καθεύδουσιν, καὶ οἱ µεθυσκόµενοι νυκτὸς µεθύουσιν·
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we are of the day [maximum light is available in the Church Age], let us obtain spiritual self-esteem [the Greek word nepho] after we have put on the breastplate of doctrine [what is believed namely metabolized truth] and love [with emphasis on virtue] and the helmet, the confidence of salvation [There is no advance without confidence in eternal security].
ἡµεῖς δὲ ἡµέρας ὄντες νήφωµεν, ἐνδυσάµενοι θώρακα πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης καὶ περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας·
The Greek verb nepho means to be sober, to be self-controlled, to be well balanced, the antithesis of any kind of fuzziness (freedom from excess passion, rashness, and confusion), the honor of individual worth, a serious regulation of the powers a person has been given (in the spiritual life it would refer to the two power options). Paul uses this word to define spiritual self-esteem.
The breastplate of ‘doctrine and love’ are the two advancing columns which takes the Christian to spiritual maturity.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God [the Father] has not appointed us [Christians] to wrath [the Tribulation], but to obtain deliverance [at the Rapture] through our Lord Jesus Christ [His saving work on the cross],
ὅτι οὐκ ἔθετο ἡµᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ὀργὴν ἀλλὰ εἰς περιποίησιν σωτηρίας διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡµῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
1 Thessalonians 5:10
Who [Jesus Christ] died as a substitute for us, so that whether we are awake [alive] or sleep [have died], we [believers who die before the Rapture and those who don’t] should live together with Him [in resurrection bodies received at the Rapture of the Church].
τοῦ ἀποθανόντος ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν ἵνα εἴτε γρηγορῶµεν εἴτε καθεύδωµεν ἅµα σὺν αὐτῷ ζήσωµεν.
Since we are sinners, we are not qualified to pay the penalty for our sins. As it were, we were slaves in a slave market of sin; helpless to do anything about it. We needed a mediator. So, the only qualified person as a mediator between sinful mankind and perfect God was the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus then as a high priest offered himself as a sacrifice on the cross. Thus, it took the work of our mediator and high priest to bring about redemption. This was a substitutionary spiritual death namely He was punished for our sins as the result of our spiritual death. He himself never sinned and so He himself never died a real spiritual death.
While Jesus was on the cross bearing the punishment for every sin of mankind, he never lost the function of the two power options namely the use of the metabolized doctrine resident in his soul and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, he tested the spiritual life given to Him as per Isaiah 11:2 to the maximum.
The Substitutionary Spiritual Death of Christ on the Cross:
1. Though Jesus Christ was in hypostatic union on the cross, only His humanity was punished for our sins. “He himself bore our sins on His body.” (1 Peter 2:24a)
2. Jesus Christ remained in the status of trichotomy on the cross as proven by his unique death namely his human spirit went into the care of God the Father, his soul went with God the Holy Spirit to Hades and his body remained in the grave.
3. Jesus personally never died a spiritual death, rather he bore the burden of mankind’s spiritual death on the cross namely He was punished for the penalty of the sins of all mankind. In other words, Jesus died a substitutionary spiritual death while forsaken by the Father during the judgment. On the other hand, Adam suffered a real spiritual death as also his progeny at birth.
4. So, Jesus’ substitutionary spiritual death means that He died as a substitute for the penalty of the sins related to our spiritual death namely the billions of sins which were committed in addition to Adam’s original sin. In other words, he paid the penalty for our sins in toto.
5. Jesus Christ was portrayed as a male lamb unblemished and spotless (no sin nature and no sin) 1 Peter 1:18-19, “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Jesus remained impeccable while being judged for the sins of the world. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he [God the Father] made him who knew no sin [remained impeccable both before the cross and on the cross] to be sin [imputation and judgment of the sins of the world] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”
6. Jesus Christ was not a curse, but became a curse as per Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law having become a curse for us, for it is written ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’”
7. Hebrews 12:2, “Be concentrating on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our doctrine, who because of the happiness that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame [from being identified with all those despicable sins], and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just as Jesus endured under great pressure, not reacting in bitterness, hatred, and self-pity, so we must endure under great pressure in order to achieve and preserve happiness. There is no happiness without the ability to endure under pressure.
8. The omnipotence of the Father imputed all the sins of mankind to Jesus during the last three hours on the cross, and the Justice of the Father using his omnipotence then judged the humanity of Christ on the cross, while the deity of Christ was sustaining the universe.
9. Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour [3 P.M.] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” translated [from the Aramaic into Greek], “My God, my God [addressing God the Father], why have you [in the singular] forsaken [abandoned] me?” David prophesizes the shout in Psalm 22:1a, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me far from helping Me.” This was answered in Psalm 22:3a, “because you [Father] are holy [righteous and just].” The Father had to judge Jesus for every sin of mankind and judgment implies abandonment and forsaking. There was no help nor fellowship during this judgment on the cross. So, this shout was prophesied in Hebrew (Psalm 22); shouted out in Aramaic and translated in Greek (Matthew 27:46).
10. Jesus understood why he had to be forsaken but shouted out this rhetorical question for our benefit. It was a Rhetorical question which had already been answered in Scripture as per Psalm 22:3a namely because the integrity of God demanded the punishment of all sins of mankind via a perfect sacrifice.
11. During the lifetime of the humanity of Christ, he was never forsaken by God the Holy Spirit whether it be before the cross or on the cross. The Holy Spirit always provided the enabling power for Jesus to execute the Father’s will during his entire life on this earth. So, from His birth to His physical death on the cross, He always had available and used the two power options namely the metabolized doctrine in his soul and the enabling power of the Spirit.
12. In this way, Jesus Christ demonstrated the power of the Proto-type Spiritual Life. This spiritual life called the Operational Type Spiritual Life, he gave to each Church Age believer.
13. Why was there a need for a substitutionary spiritual death? Adam and his wife suffered a real spiritual death when they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This involved the loss of their human spirit and acquisition of a sin nature. Hence, since the sin nature is part of the makeup of cellular genetics, all Adam’s descendance are born with the sin nature within their cells and with the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin imputed to that sin nature at birth. This means that all of mankind is helplessly located in the slave market of sin. This required someone outside of the slave market of sin to provide a ransom to free mankind. Thus, the need for an impeccable person to pay the penalty of every sin of mankind. This we call the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross.
14. R. B. Thieme Jr. first taught this doctrine in 1986 during the teaching of the Ephesian series, a doctrine which has been buried for over 1500 years and is still unknown by most Christians since it is not known and subsequently not taught by any professor in any major theological seminary today.
Many of the Thessalonian believers had already died. Others were all shook up because the ones who had died had not lived long enough to see the Rapture. They thought that any Christian who died before the Rapture took place was going to miss the whole thing. It doesn’t make any difference whether you die before the Rapture or whether you are alive when it comes, you are going to be included. We all are going to live with the Lord Jesus Christ, forever and ever.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore comfort one another [for Christians will all be together in eternity], and edify one another, even as you also do [apparently the Thessalonians were catching on regarding the Rapture and what follows].
∆ιὸ παρακαλεῖτε ἀλλήλους καὶ οἰκοδοµεῖτε εἷς τὸν ἕνα, καθὼς καὶ ποιεῖτε.
Through the reading of Paul’s epistle especially the information regarding the resurrection of the Church and through discussion among themselves regarding this information, they were comforted and edified.
1 Thessalonians 5:12
And, brethren, we ask you to know those who labor among you [communicators of doctrine], and are over you [the middle voice means to have authority for the benefit of everyone] by agency of the Lord, and who [the pastor] admonish you [regarding responsibilities, and failures; to straighten out mixed up people],
Ἐρωτῶµεν δὲ ὑµᾶς, ἀδελφοί, εἰδέναι τοὺς κοπιῶντας ἐν ὑµῖν καὶ προϊσταµένους ὑµῶν ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ νουθετοῦντας ὑµᾶς,
You cannot operate under leadership unless you know who the leaders are. So, there is a need to understand leadership and to operate under it. No organization functions well without good leadership.
There were two requirements for membership in the early church:
1. You had to be ‘born again.’
2. You had to submit to the authority and leadership of the local church.
1 Thessalonians 5:13
And to esteem them very highly in the sphere of love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves [dative of advantage: peace in the congregation, rather than a lot of bickering].
καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ διὰ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν. εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.
The word “esteem” means to have high regard for someone. It is a present active infinitive expressing a habitual purpose. “Very highly” is an adverb meaning beyond measure, super abundantly, “in the sphere of love” “because of their work” (not because of their personality).
Authorized and good leadership is the basis for peace in any congregation. The absence of such leadership means perpetual trouble in a congregation. So, one purpose of leadership is to maintain the peace of the assembly or the congregation of believers.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
Now we exhort you brethren [leadership], warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.
παρακαλοῦµεν δὲ ὑµᾶς, ἀδελφοί, νουθετεῖτε τοὺς ἀτάκτους, παραµυθεῖσθε τοὺς ὀλιγοψύχους, ἀντέχεσθε τῶν ἀσθενῶν, µακροθυµεῖτε πρὸς πάντας.
Exhortation to leadership:
“Warn those who are unruly." The Greek word, ‘ataktos’ (unruly) is a soldier who breaks ranks. It is the responsibility of leadership to warn those who are out of step with the doctrines of God’s Word. Obviously, the pastor must know doctrine to know when someone is not aligning himself with correct doctrinal teaching. In other words, if someone is spreading false teaching, It must be stopped.
“Comfort the fainthearted.” The Greek word means literally, “the small-souled, the fainthearted. These individuals tend to go to emotion when under pressure, and easily become hysterical. Many times, they will express their desire to die or commit suicide. They never use the faith-rest drill and consequently never live their lives by applying divine thought moment by moment. These must be encouraged gently by leadership (the pastor and deacons) by comforting words.
“Support the weak.” The word “support” means to exercise zealous care over the weak. There are two kinds of weak individuals among believers. First, new babies in Christ who haven’t learned doctrine yet, or are just in the process. They should be protected by keeping them away from legalism, from asceticism, from bullying, from negativism, etc. Secondly, there is the believer who has not advanced spiritually even though a believer for a long time. Romans 14:1, “Now receive that one who is weak in doctrine, but not for the purpose of getting into quarrels about opinions (the non-essentials).” To expect all believers to live their lives exactly alike is ridiculous. Does a human baby conduct himself like an adult! Baby Christians and young Christians will have a different behavioral pattern from an adult believer.
“Be patient.” means to exercise good control over one’s emotions. Don’t easily get upset with another believer etc., to apply impersonal love. 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is not swayed by emotion [is forbearing, patient; the Greek word µακροθυµεῶ (makrothumeo)], virtue love is kind [merciful], virtue love is not jealous, it does not brag [is not shamelessly disrespectful in thought, speech and behavior, insulting, presumptuous], is not inflated with arrogance [the advance stages of arrogance].
The Greek word, “Makrothumeo” most basic meaning is “not to be swayed by emotion” (not caused to swing from one side to another; not influenced by emotion). It also means to be free from the emotional reaction of annoyance; free from the irrationality that occurs when one is under pressure. It is composure under pressure and adversity. Since it is not affected by emotion, it has a steadfast patience. In the Ionic Greek which is older than the Attic Greek, it meant long-suffering toward someone (to bear injuries, insults, trouble without complaint or emotional reaction).
1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that no one repay to someone evil for evil, but always pursue the good [intrinsic good produced when the believer is functioning under the two power options and executing the spiritual life], both towards one another [believers] and towards all [unbelievers].
ὁρᾶτε µή τις κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ τινι ἀποδῷ, ἀλλὰ πάντοτε τὸ ἀγαθὸν διώκετε εἰς ἀλλήλους καὶ εἰς πάντας.
“See that none render evil for evil.” The word “render” means to recompense or pay back. There are three categories in this regard: The demonized person repays evil for good; The normal person repays evil for evil and good for good; The advanced Christian repays good for evil. So, to replace good for evil is to place injustice in the Lord’s hands instead of using natural laws of retaliation. It is the responsibility of leadership to make sure that Christians pay back good for evil and to avoid taking revenge. (Deuteronomy 32:35)
The Responsibility of the Christian in experiential righteousness.
1 Thessalonians 5:16
Always be happy [inner happiness].
Πάντοτε χαίρετε, compare with ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς (Jesus wept)
This is not simply some sort of an ecstatic stimulation. In the Bible it is a word which means to have inner happiness through one’s relationship with the Lord. Ones happiness as a Christian does not depend upon relationships in life, pleasant circumstances, or surroundings, or because of some success. When God the Holy Spirit controls the life of the adult believer, he can have perfect inner happiness, a perfect stability, moment by moment.
If the Christian is not able to apply the following verse, he cannot share in God’s happiness. Romans 8:28, “We know, in fact, that to those who love the God [the Father], he causes all things to work together for good [intrinsic good] to those who are called according to a predetermined plan (divine decree).
In the divine decree (according to a predetermined plan) God caused all things to work together for good for the mature believer. God has a system for causing all things to work together for good namely through the application of the Problem-Solving Devices. God the Father solved every problem in human history in eternity past. However, if the believer cannot use or does not use the Problem-Solving Devices, he is not able to benefit from these solutions which the Father has provided.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray habitually [Make prayer a habit].
ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε,
In the middle voice, the subject is benefited by its application. The subjunctive mood means that maybe the believer will execute this command or maybe he won’t. The Greek adverb adialeiptos (ἀδιαλείπτως) does not mean ‘unceasing’. Can you imagine trying to pray for 24 hours each day without ceasing that is to attempt to pray while eating and sleeping. It would be absurd. Pictorially, the Greek adverb would look like this: _ _ _ _ _ _ _, not like this: ______________. In other words, one should pray every day as scheduled interspersed with some spontaneous prayers as well.
Sequence for Private Prayer:
1. Recovery Procedure: If we name [acknowledge] our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us [cancel] our sins for our benefit and to purify us from all wrongdoing. (1 John 1:9)
Use of the Recovery Procedure is the first and most important consideration. If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear. (Psalm 66:18)
2. Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving is appreciation and gratitude for all that God has done in grace (freely given and undeserved). The more you love God and the more you appreciate Him, the greater is your “attitude of thanksgiving.” In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
3. Intercession: Intercessory prayer is praying for others. This aspect of prayer is a ministry of Christian service in which you provide a barrage of support for those in need. “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the [power of the] Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” (Ephesians 6:18–19)
Prayer for others falls into two categories: believers and unbelievers. When you pray for unbelievers, it is primarily for their salvation (Romans. 10:1). Although you cannot ask God to abrogate the volition of unbelievers, you can ask Him to bring some circumstance into their lives that will direct their attention to Christ. You can pray for a personal opening to witness to someone with whom you are in contact. On the cross Jesus Christ provided the greatest example of intercession for unbelievers in all of human history. “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a) Regarding believers, there are several categories for which you can pray. Pray for those who have certain spiritual gifts of communication—pastors, evangelists, missionaries (Acts 12:5). Comparatively few believers actually possess these communication gifts, but all believers are in full-time Christian service and can share in these ministries through prevailing prayer. Pray for those in positions of authority in the church. Pray for those who work in the church. Pray for those who are ill. Pray for missions. Pray for loved ones and friends (Acts 21:5). Pray for those in the military, the police, and the fire department. You also are mandated to pray for those who despitefully use you, for those who seek to do you harm and hurt, whether they be believers or unbelievers. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28; cf. Matthew. 5:44) You also are mandated to pray for the nation and its leadership. Moses made some of the greatest intercessory prayers in history for the reversionistic nation of Israel (Exodus. 32:11–13; Num. 14:13–19). Such intercessory prayer is part of the deliverance of the client nation which has fallen into reversionism. “And My people [client nation] who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways [reversionism], then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
4. Petition: Petition is praying for your own needs. This is listed last, though it is not necessarily the least important. We all have personal needs or problems of one kind or another. In such cases, “Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16a). Petitions address those particular circumstances for which there is no direct statement or solution from Scripture. (If provision for your own needs or solutions to your problems are found in the Word of God, do not petition for those things. For example, we are filled with the Spirit automatically when we use the Recovery Procedure. Therefore, do not pray a meaningless prayer by saying, “Fill me with the Spirit.”
As you learn Bible doctrine and advance to maturity in the spiritual life, you will understand both the constraints and the fantastic opportunities of your prayer life. In spiritual maturity, you will reduce the number of your personal petitions while expanding your capacity for intercessory prayer.
Ten reasons why prayer is not answered:
1. Lack of faith — Matthew 21:22, “And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive [logical future].”
2. Lack of prayer — James 4:2c, “You quarrel and fight, and you do not have because you do not ask [failure to pray].”
3. Selfishness — James 4:3, “You ask but you do not receive because you ask for yourself that you may squander it on your lusts [in your frantic search for happiness].”
4. Carnality in general — Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [my prayers]”
5. Lack of compassion — Proverbs 21:13, “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor, will also cry himself and not be answered.”
6. Lack of domestic tranquility — 1 Peter 3:7, “You husbands in a similar manner, live with them according to knowledge, as the weaker vessel [dependent upon her husband for fulfillment as a responder], since she is a woman; and show her honor as a joint-heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”
7. Pride or self-righteousness — Job 35:12,13, “There they cry out [in prayer], but He does not answer because of the pride of the evil men. (13) Surely, God will not listen to an empty cry [prayer] nor will the almighty regard it.”
8. Lack of the Filling of the Spirit — Ephesians 6:18, “By means of every prayer and petition, be praying on every occasion of prayer in the [Filling of] Spirit, also with reference to this prayer, be on the alert with all persistent determination and petition on behalf of all saints.”
9. Lack of obedience — 1 John 3:22, “Furthermore, whatever we have asked, we receive from him because we keep his mandates and keep on doing the things that are pleasing in his sight.”
10.Lack of compliance with the divine will — 1 John 5:14, “In fact, this is the confidence which we have toward him [God] that if [3rd class condition with an indirect middle] we ask anything according to his will, he [God the Father] hears us.”
A few statements regarding prayer:
1.We do not use prayer to hire God to do what we want done.
2.Too many believers use prayer to get their own way, not God’s way.
3. Prayer must be compatible with God’s will and God’s way, not our will and our way.
4. Prayer must recognize who and what God is, not who and what we are.
5. Prayer is not designed to get us out of trouble, but to express our helplessness, our humility, our total dependence on God rather than on human ability and power. Prayer is our recognition and orientation to His grace and His mercy toward us.
6. Prayer is not designed to manipulate God, but to perform and conform to the will of God.
7. Prayer is not what we want but what God wants for us.
8. Prayer is our recognition and orientation to the grace of God.
9.. Prayer is an expression and extension of Bible doctrine resident in the stream of consciousness of the soul. We fail in prayer because we fail to understand and utilize Bible doctrine.
10. Prayer was never designed to fulfill our lusts and desires, but prayer was designed to fulfill the will, plan, and purpose of God for our lives and to give us access to heaven while still living on earth.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you [because of verse 16].
ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε· τοῦτο γὰρ θέληµα θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς ὑµᾶς.
“In all things give thanks.” Be thankful for the blessings of life, be thankful for the adversities of life. We are to thank the Lord for everything that comes into our life, and the reason is due to our ability to apply the Ten Problems Solving Devices to any problem, difficulty, or disaster in our life.
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Stop squelching [quenching, extinguishing] the Spirit.
τὸ πνεῦµα µὴ σβέννυτε,
“Stop squelching [quenching] the Spirit.” Since the Thessalonians are squelching the Holy Spirit, completely ignoring what the Spirit wants them to do. They are failing to apply doctrine correctly. Just examine all the commands in this chapter either to stop doing something or to do something they were not doing but should be doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:20
Stop despising [scorning, making light of] prophetical teachings.
προφητείας µὴ ἐξουθενεῖτε·
Apparently, the Thessalonians just wanted to learn the spiritual life for example the Ten Problem Solving Devices. However, they did not realize that prophetical teachings have a critical role in support of the spiritual life. So, apparently when Paul and Timothy taught such doctrines as the Rapture of the Church, the Tribulation, and the Millennial reign of Christ, they in contempt either didn’t listen or after listening disregarded it.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
Test all things, hold fast to the good [truth].
πάντα δὲ δοκιµάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε,
“Test all things.” The word “test” means to test for the purpose of approval. How do you test for the purpose of approval when it comes to doctrine? Gather the facts and then see if it lines up with doctrine.
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from every category of evil.
ἀπὸ παντὸς εἴδους πονηροῦ ἀπέχεσθε.
There are many categories of evil such as any sexual activity outside of marriage between one male and one female, socialism, Marxism, redistribution of wealth, confiscatory taxes, violation of privacy, any attack on freedom, anti-Semitism etc.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
And may the God of reconciliation [prosperity] Himself sanctify you [experientially; the optative mood expresses Paul’s wish] and may your whole spirit [which has the ability to receive spiritual phenomena directly from the Spirit] and soul [the Holy Spirit then sends this spiritual phenomena to the soul for metabolization and application] and body be guarded blameless [in resurrection body] at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [at the Rapture].
Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἁγιάσαι ὑµᾶς ὁλοτελεῖς, καὶ ὁλόκληρον ὑµῶν τὸ πνεῦµα καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τὸ σῶµα ἀµέµπτως ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡµῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τηρηθείη.
1 Thessalonians 5:24
Faithful is He [God the Father] who called you, who also will do it.
πιστὸς ὁ καλῶν ὑµᾶς, ὃς καὶ ποιήσει.
After the Holy Spirit makes the gospel lucid to the unbeliever under the concept of Common Grace, the Father invites or calls the unbeliever through the gospel message as per 1 Corinthians 1:9, “The God [the Father] is faithful through whom you have been called [invited] into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord.”
Since God the Father has perfect righteousness, justice and omnipotence, He will do all that He has said that He will do. Perfect integrity (righteousness and justice) plus immutability equals faithfulness. The Portfolio of Invisible Assets namely the primary, secondary, personal, and unique assets are guaranteed by the perfection of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:25
Brethren, keep on praying [present tense in imperative mood] also for us [Paul and his team] for your benefit [in the middle voice, the subject participates and benefits from the action of the verb ].
Ἀδελφοί, προσεύχεσθε καὶ περὶ ἡµῶν.
God has seen fit to make us depend upon one another. This is the teamwork verse. The first word in this verse is “brethren” which means only believers should pray. This is a request to other members of the team for team support. We are all on the same team and depend upon each other.
1 Thessalonians 5:26
Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς πάντας ἐν φιλήµατι ἁγίῳ.
A holy kiss was simply a means of greeting in the ancient world. Men would greet other men with a kiss, and women would greet other women with a kiss. Holy would imply that the greeting was genuine, no animosity not in violation of experiential sanctification.
1 Thessalonians 5:27
I charge you by the Lord to read this epistle to all the brethren.
Ἐνορκίζω ὑµᾶς τὸν κύριον ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς.
This epistle was read to all the believers in Thessalonica and I’m sure explained as well if it needed to be.
1 Thessalonians 5:28
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡµῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ µεθí ὑµῶν.
2 Corinthians 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ [the greatest act of grace took place on the cross] and the love of God [the Father the author of reciprocal love] and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit [the enabling power of the Spirit].”
When we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we became the recipients of the greatest possible endowment of grace, and grace pursues the advancing believer his entire life.
