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
Galatians: Chapter Two
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
John 4:24, “God is a spirit and those who worship Him must worship by agency of the Spirit and by means of Truth.”
Galatians 2:1
Then, after an interval of fourteen years [after Paul had left Jerusalem for Damascus in circa 36 A. D.] I went up again to Jerusalem [Paul’s third trip in 50 A.D. between the 1st and 2nd missionary journeys] with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
Ἔπειτα διὰ δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν πάλιν ἀνέβην εἰς Ἱεροσόλυµα µετὰ Βαρναβᾶ, συµπαραλαβὼν καὶ Τίτον·
Jerusalem Trips:
1st. After being forced to leave Damascus, Syria, he went to Jerusalem circa 41 AD. 2 Corinthians 11:32, 33, “In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, (33) and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.” Galatians 1:18-19, “Then, three years later [after his conversion] I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. (19) But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother [spent a few days with James].”
2nd. In circa 45 A.D. just before the famine broke-out, Agabus came to Antioch announcing that a famine was about to occur all over the world as per Acts 11:28-30, “One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate [foretell] by the Spirit [as a prophet, the Holy Spirit provided this information to Agabus.] that there would certainly be a great famine [45 to 47 A.D.] all over the inhabited world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius [41-54 A.D.] (29) And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. (30) And this they [the church in Antioch] did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders [in Jerusalem: Paul’s 2nd trip to Jerusalem around 46 A.D].” Funds were collected from the Antioch Christians to be taken to Christians in need in the land of Judea.
3rd. Paul goes to Jerusalem for the third time with Barnabas and Titus [possibly a native of Antioch, Syria] between his first and second missionary journeys to explain to the council in Jerusalem his work with the gentiles as per Galatians 2:1-10, “Then, after an interval of fourteen years [after Paul had left Jerusalem for Damascus in 36 A. D. I went up again to Jerusalem [Paul’s third trip in 50 A.D.] with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. (2) It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the good news [the gospel followed by his teaching regarding the spiritual life] which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run in vain. (3) But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. (4) But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage [through legalism]. (5) But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. (6) But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me. God shows no partiality) well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. (7) But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised (8) (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), (9) and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. (10) They only asked us to remember the poor--the very thing I also was eager to do [this offering for the poor was delivered in 58 A.D.] At which time, a council at Jerusalem was held in which Paul and Barnabas were given the right hand of fellowship by James, Peter and John. It was also understood at the council that Paul and Barnabas continue to go to the gentiles and the other apostles to the circumcised.”
4th. Acts 18:22, “When he had landed at Caesarea [at the end of his 2nd missionary journey], he went up and greeted the church [in Jerusalem], and went down to Antioch [Syria].”
5th. Paul should have gone to the Roman Church at the end of his 3rd missionary journey as per Romans 15:19-24, “By the power of signs [to the Jews] and by miracles [to the Gentiles] in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that from Jerusalem, I Paul, on a circuit as far as Illyricum, have fulfilled the Gospel of the Christ. [Paul had finished his work in both Asia Minor and in Greece as far west as Illyricum.] (20) In fact, my standard operating procedure: I consider it a point of honor to proclaim the Gospel not where Christ has been mentioned [but he does when he decides to go to Jerusalem at the end of his 3rd missionary trip], in order that I might not build on a foundation belonging to another [but he attempted to do this when he decided emotionally to go to Jerusalem rather than to immediately sail for Rome]. (21) And not only this but just as it stands written [a quote from Isaiah 52:15], "They [the Gentiles] shall see, that is, those to whom it was not reported concerning Him [Jesus Christ], and they [gentiles who have not heard] shall understand." (22). For this reason, I also have been hindered many times from coming to you [Romans because I was busy ministering to the gentiles in Asian Minor and Greece], (23) But now, no longer having a place of ministry in those regions [had established local churches with native pastor-teachers in Asian Minor and in Greece], and having a desire to come to you [in Rome] for many years, (24) Whenever I go to Spain for I expect to see you when passing through, and by you be assisted to that place [Spain], if first I am satisfied with you in part [Paul planned on ministering to the Romans before going on his 4th missionary journey to Spain],” Between verses 24 and 25, Paul makes a sentimentally emotional decision to go to Jerusalem for the Holy Week, Romans 15:25, 26, “But [a change of plans and contrary to what he has just stated in Romans 15:19-24] now [58 A.D.] I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints [to bring them the funds collected; a flimsy excuse for violating God’s geographical will for his life], (26) For Macedonia [Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea] and Achaia [Corinth] [the churches of Asian Minor did not contribute toward this offering] have decided with pleasure to make a special offering to the poor [because of persecution and possibly as a result of the famine of 45-47 A.D.] among the saints who are in Jerusalem.” [Earlier commissioned by the Antioch Church, he and Barnabas made a trip to bring aid to those who were in need due to the great famine, 45 to 47 A.D.]
Galatians 2:2
And it was because of a revelation [it was revealed to Paul to go to Jerusalem] that I went up [to Jerusalem in 50 A.D., his third trip]; and I submitted to them the good news [the gospel and Paul’s teaching on the spiritual life] which I proclaimed among the Gentiles, but I did so in private [didn’t want a public argument] to those who were recognized as having a reputation [Peter, James, John], for concern that somehow, I might be running, or had run, in vain.
ἀνέβην δὲ κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν· καὶ ἀνεθέµην αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ κηρύσσω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, κατí ἰδίαν δὲ τοῖς δοκοῦσιν, µή πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ ἔδραµον.
The Judaizers were constantly attacking the ministry of Paul. Now, Paul was concerned regarding the leaders of the Christian Church. He wanted to make sure they understood his ministry so that they would not also begin attacking him. So, he approached the three most spiritually advanced believers namely Peter, James and John. If Paul had presented his ministry to all the elders and Christians in Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Council may have taken a different turn, one not so favorable to him and his team because already there were legalists within the ranks of the Jerusalem Church.
Galatians 2:3
But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised [though some of the Jerusalem Christians put pressure on Paul and Titus].
ἀλλí οὐδὲ Τίτος ὁ σὺν ἐµοί, Ἕλλην ὤν, ἠναγκάσθη περιτµηθῆναι·
Since circumcision is not necessary for salvation, Paul would not be pressured by the legalists in and around Jerusalem to mandate the circumcision of Titus. Paul never catered to legalism except during his failure in 58 A.D. when he was pressured into offering the Nazarite Vow in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Galatians 2:4
But it was because of the false brethren who had sneaked in [had come in with false pretenses] to spy out our liberty [they made a recon to destroy Paul’s ministry] which we keep on having in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage [of legalism].
διὰ δὲ τοὺς παρεισάκτους ψευδαδέλφους, οἵτινες παρεισῆλθον κατασκοπῆσαι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡµῶν ἣν ἔχοµεν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα ἡµᾶς καταδουλώσουσιν·
Galatians 2:5
But we did not yield in subjection to them [not on any point] for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you [Galatians who succumbed to the legalists without even a fight].
οἷς οὐδὲ πρὸς ὥραν εἴξαµεν τῇ ὑποταγῇ, ἵνα ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου διαµείνῃ πρὸς ὑµᾶς.
Galatians 2:6
But from those who were of high reputation (what they were [in the past] makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me [They did not contribute anything to Paul’s knowledge of the spiritual life. The disciples had three years of teaching from the Lord and learned practically nothing; Paul on the other hand, learned tremendously during his three years of seminary education in the Arabian Desert].
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναί τι - ὁποῖοί ποτε ἦσαν οὐδέν µοι διαφέρει· πρόσωπον [ὁ] θεὸς ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαµβάνει - ἐµοὶ γὰρ οἱ δοκοῦντες οὐδὲν προσανέθεντο,
Later, Peter recognized the tremendous doctrine and wisdom given to Paul. 2 Peter 3:15-16, “And think [rationally and come to a logical conclusion] of the emotional stability [not moved by one’s emotions] of our Lord, a deliverance [the humanity of Christ always ruled his emotions and so was able to apply the Problem-Solving Devises to his life perfectly] as our beloved brother Paul also has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. (16) as also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them [Pauline epistles] of these things; in which are some things [doctrines] hard to be understood [because they are built upon other doctrines], which the unlearned and unstable distort, as also they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
Galatians 2:7
But on the contrary, seeing that I have been entrusted with the good news to the uncircumcised [the gentiles], just as Peter with the good news to the circumcised [the Jews].
ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἰδόντες ὅτι πεπίστευµαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς ἀκροβυστίας καθὼς Πέτρος τῆς περιτοµῆς,
Galatians 2:8
(For He [the Lord Jesus Christ] who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the gentiles),
ὁ γὰρ ἐνεργήσας Πέτρῳ εἰς ἀποστολὴν τῆς περιτοµῆς ἐνήργησεν καὶ ἐµοὶ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη,
Galatians 2:9
And recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars [the leaders], gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship [recognition of their authority and their equal status with them], that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised [to the Jews].
καὶ γνόντες τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν µοι, Ἰάκωβος καὶ Κηφᾶς καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ δοκοῦντες στῦλοι εἶναι, δεξιὰς ἔδωκαν ἐµοὶ καὶ Βαρναβᾷ κοινωνίας, ἵνα ἡµεῖς εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, αὐτοὶ δὲ εἰς τὴν περιτοµήν·
In 50 A.D. during the Jerusalem Council, the lines were clearly drawn. Paul was not to minister in Jerusalem or in Judea. His ministry was to be north and west of Judea, a ministry primarily to the gentiles. Yet, in 58 A.D., he went to Jerusalem when he should have gone to Rome and after that to Spain. As a result of failing to follow the guidelines established at the Jerusalem Council, Paul spent four years in house arrest namely two years in Caesarea and two years in Rome.
Galatians 2:10
They only asked that we should remember the poor-the very thing I also was eager to do. [Remember that Galatians was written circa 55 A.D. which would have been about 8 years after the great famine.]
µόνον τῶν πτωχῶν ἵνα µνηµονεύωµεν, ὃ καὶ ἐσπούδασα αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι.
Paul and his team members will deliver to the Jerusalem Church, a large sum of money collected from the members of the churches in Macedonia and Achaia.
In verses 11-14 Peter lost all of his capacity temporarily, but the bluntness and keen intellect of Paul delivered him from his legalism.
Galatians 2:11
But when Cephas [is the Aramaic for the Greek word petros] came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned [because of his hypocrisy through his legalistic actions].
Ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν Κηφᾶς εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῷ ἀντέστην, ὅτι κατεγνωσµένος ἦν.
The Jews in the time of the 1st Advent spoke Aramaic. Cephas in Aramaic means "stone". "Peter" was a name given to him by Jesus for answering a question correctly. Matthew 16:13-18, "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea, Philippi, he began asking his disciples, saying, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And thy said, "Some say John the Baptist; Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjonas, because flesh and blood (people) did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. "Now, I say to you that you are "Petros" (chip of a rock) and upon this "Petra" (huge rock-Jesus Christ) I shall build my church and the Gates of Hades (Satan) shall not overpower it." "Peter" then was a name of honor which related to positional truth. After which, all of Peter's friends and others always addressed him as "Peter". However, when Paul chewed him out, he called him Cephas, the Aramaic translation of Petros, not the honorable name given to him by Christ. Paul knew how to cut someone down to size.
Galatians 2:12
For prior to the coming of certain men from James [the leader of the Jerusalem Church and the half-brother of Jesus], he used to eat with the Gentiles [Peter knew that the Mosaic Law was no longer a part of the spiritual life which meant that a Jew could now eat pork and shrimp with the gentiles]. [Acts 10:9-15; 10:28]; but when they came [the legalists from the Jerusalem Church], he [Peter] began to withdraw and hold himself aloof [gradually separating himself from the gentiles], fearing the party of the circumcision [They insisted that the Mosaic Law was a part of the spiritual life for the Church Age believers. Thus, a Jew should not eat with the gentiles and especially such foods that were unclean under the Mosaic Law. However, Peter knew that this was not true.].
πρὸ τοῦ γὰρ ἐλθεῖν τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου µετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν συνήσθιεν· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθον, ὑπέστελλεν καὶ ἀφώριζεν ἑαυτόν, φοβούµενος τοὺς ἐκ περιτοµῆς.
Peter slyly and slowly broke off his relationship with the gentiles. Every time a gentile would invite Peter to dine with him, Peter would give them some excuse. Peter was in fear and out of fellowship. In this state, he was becoming a legalist.
Peter clearly had the doctrinal information regarding this subject regarding unclean food. Acts 10:9-15, “On the next day, as they [those sent by Cornelius] were on their way, and approaching the city [Joppa], Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. (10) And he became very hungry and desired to eat, but while they were making preparations [for his food], he fell into a trance. (11) And he saw the sky open-up and an object like a great sheet coming down and lowered by four corners to the ground, (12) and there were in it, all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and the birds of the air. (13) And a voice came to him, saying, Rise, Peter! Kill and eat! (14) But Peter said, not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is unsanctified and unclean. (15). And the voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has made clean, no longer consider unsanctified.” Acts 10:28, “And he said to them, you know that it is an unlawful thing for a man, a Jew to keep company with or to come near to one of another nation. But God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean.”
Galatians 2:13
Then the rest of the [Christian] Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy [keeping the Mosaic Law for the Christian way of life].
καὶ συνυπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ [καὶ] οἱ λοιποὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὥστε καὶ Βαρναβᾶς συναπήχθη αὐτῶν τῇ ὑποκρίσει.
Galatians 2:14
But when I observed that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles [He learned to eat what was unclean in the Mosaic Law as per Acts 10:9-15] and not living like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles [believers in Antioch] to live like Jews?
ἀλλí ὅτε εἶδον ὅτι οὐκ ὀρθοποδοῦσιν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, εἶπον τῷ Κηφᾷ ἔµπροσθεν πάντων, Εἰ σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὑπάρχων ἐθνικῶς καὶ οὐχὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ζῇς, πῶς τὰ ἔθνη ἀναγκάζεις Ἰουδαΐζειν;
Paul made it very lucid to the entire congregation that Peter was nothing but a hypocrite. Paul made it so clear that Peter was forced to recognize his hypocrisy which he did and recovered.
Galatians 2:15
"We are Jews by natural endowment [genetically Jews], and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
Ἡµεῖς φύσει Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἁµαρτωλοί,
Galatians 2:16
Furthermore, 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, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for by the works of the Law, no flesh will be justified [receive imputed righteousness and declared qualified to live with God forever].
εἰδότες [δὲ] ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόµου ἐὰν µὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡµεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαµεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶµεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόµου, ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων νόµου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σάρξ.
Galatians 2:17
"But if, while seeking to be justified [declared righteous and qualified to have a relationship with God] in Christ [in union with Christ], we ourselves [Jewish believers] have also been found sinners [just as the gentiles], is Christ then a minister of sin? Definitely not [absolutely not].
εἰ δὲ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθηµεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁµαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁµαρτίας διάκονος; µὴ γένοιτο.
A few points for clarification:
1. In this verse, we have a true premise with a false conclusion. If we are all sinners and we are, then does that make Christ a minister of sin since we are in union with Him?
2. We must distinguish between Experiential Sanctification from Positional and Ultimate Sanctification. Experientially, we will always sin to some extent. However, we neither sin in Positional Sanctification nor in Ultimate Sanctification. Thus, since we cannot sin in Positional Sanctification, Christ is not a minister of sin. It would be blasphemous to even suggest such a thing.
Galatians 2:18
"For if I rebuild [go back to the Mosaic Law for the spiritual life] what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor [Galatians 5:18].
εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδοµῶ, παραβάτην ἐµαυτὸν συνιστάνω.
Galatians 5:18, "But, if [assumed to be true] you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law [Mosaic Law] [and vice versa]."
Romans 8:2-4, "For the law [principle] of the spirit of life [our spirituality] through the agency of Christ Jesus [tested and proved the prototype spiritual system in his humanity] has set you free from the law of sin [carnal state of the believer: 1 Corinthians 3:1] and death [perpetual carnality resulting in the sin unto death I John 5:16]."
Romans 8:3, "For the Law [is not a system of power, but can only be implemented by the determination of one’s volition] was powerless in that it was weak through the flesh [sin nature], God having sent His own Son [deity] in the likeness of the flesh of sin [true humanity of Jesus without a sin nature] and as a substitute for sin [He who knew no sin became sin offering for us] he [God the Father] condemned sin [personal sins] in the flesh [God the Father judged the humanity of Christ]."
Romans 8:4, "In order that the righteousness [legal requirement] required by the law might be fulfilled in us [church age believers using the two powers of the spiritual life], who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
Galatians 2:19
"For through the Law [which Christ fulfilled], I died to the Law [Since Paul is in union with Christ who fulfilled the Law, he was dead to the Law.] that I might live to God.
ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόµου νόµῳ ἀπέθανον ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωµαι·
Galatians 5:18 clearly states that if a Christian puts himself under the authority of the powerless Mosaic Law for his spiritual life (legalism) rather than operating under the two power options, he will be out of fellowship with the Spirit and in bondage to the sin nature. In legalism, the Christian will find himself ‘in the yoke of slavery’ to the sin nature as the Galatians demonstrated (Galatians 5:18-20).
The Mosaic Law was never designed to provide the Church Age believer with a spiritual life. Even the Old Testament believers did not derive their spiritual lives from the Mosaic Law. Adam, Enoch, Noah and Abraham all lived before the existence of the Mosaic Law. Moses was a mature believer at 40 years old (Hebrews 11:24-27) and saw the burning bush at 80 (Exodus 3:2); all before he received the Mosaic Law. Their spiritual lives were primarily related to applying God’s Word by faith to their lives and situations. (Read Hebrews chapter eleven which records those great believers who were entered into the Faith-Rest Drill Hall of Fame, not the Mosaic Law Hall of Fame). Galatians 5:18 clearly states that the Christian cannot live the spiritual life under the Mosaic Law, “But if you are led by the Spirit, and let’s assume you are, then you are not under the Law.” Thus, the Church age believer cannot be both under the authority of the Holy Spirit called the Filling of the Spirit and under the Mosaic Law.
There are two powers in the spiritual life of the Church Age believer namely the Filling of the Holy Spirit, and Bible doctrine (learned from the epistles) circulating in his stream of consciousness. The Mosaic Law has no power; it contains the Ten Commandments: you will not; you will not etc. It contains some Christology and Soteriology and many laws related to how the believer and unbeliever should live, but no power. Though the Mosaic Law is for our instruction, we don’t learn about the spiritual life from it. Where do you think we learn about the Filling of the Spirit, the Indwelling of the Spirit, the Baptism of the Spirit, our spiritual gifts, ambassadorship, the royal priesthood, our rewards and loss of rewards, the Church Age standards regarding marriage et cetera? This information is all found in the New Testament Epistles. There are two powers in the spiritual life, and the Mosaic Law is not one of them!
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ [identified with Christ in his substitutionary spiritual death]; and it is no longer I who live [the sinful person who I am with a sin nature], but Christ lives in me [a new focus]; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved [impersonal love] me, and delivered Himself up as a substitute for me.
ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐµοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός µε καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐµοῦ.
“And delivered Himself up as a substitute for me”
1. Though Jesus Christ was in hypostatic union on the cross, only His humanity was punished for our sins.
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. If He had sinned on the cross as some blasphemous idiots allege, he would have lost the Filling of the Spirit, acquired a sin nature and would have lost his human spirit.
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 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 personal sins) during His entire life including His six hours on the cross as per 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 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 become a sin offering [The Greek word can be translated sin offering: received the responsibility for and the judgment of all the sins of the world] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God [the Father] by Him [by the work of Christ on the cross].”
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 pioneer [the One who established the precedence for our spiritual life] and perfecter of our doctrine, who because of His exhibited happiness He 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, self-pity etc., 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 for judgment 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. Judgment implies abandonment and forsaking. There was no help nor fellowship during this judgment on the cross. So, this shout was prophesied in Hebrew (as found in Psalm 22); shouted out in Aramaic and translated into 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 the 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.
Galatians 2:21
"I do not nullify the grace of God; for if imputed righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
οὐκ ἀθετῶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰ γὰρ διὰ νόµου δικαιοσύνη, ἄρα Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανεν.
Romans 3:21-22, “But now apart from the Law, the righteousness of God [imputed righteousness] has been manifested, being witnessed by the `Law and the Prophets' [a phrase for the Old Testament Scriptures emphasizing human authorship]. (22). Even the imputed righteousness of God [the Father] through faith in Jesus Christ [objective genitive] for all those who believe [in all human history], (for there is no distinction,”
Since the keeping of the Mosaic Law as per Codex 1 where the decalogue is taught, and Codex 3 where the Laws of Establishment etc. are found could neither provide eternal life nor be the basis for imputed righteousness, it cannot provide salvation. However, the Old Testament reveals that imputed righteousness came to the Old Testament believers the same way it comes to us in the Church Age. Genesis 15:6, “And he [Abraham] believed [the perfect tense of the Hebrew word, aman in the midst of vav-conversive takes us back to the 3rd Dynasty of Ur] in the Lord [a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ] and He [God the Father] reckoned it [his faith in Christ] to him [Abraham] as righteousness.”
Romans 4:3-5, "For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God [the Son], and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ (4) Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. (5) However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked [unbelievers], his faith is credited as righteousness.’”
The Greek noun, dikaiosune is an Attic Greek Word. In the time of Homer (9th century B.C.) there were two words, a noun and an adjective namely dike and dikaios, simple words characteristic of the time of Homer. Multi-syllable words did not come into the Greek language until the time of Attic Greek. In the 5th century B.C. when thought became much deeper it required some special technical words. So, the Greeks invented an abstract suffix sune to be added to the stem of dikai giving us dikaiosune with the general meaning of righteousness. It meant virtue, justice, integrity, justice as the thinking and integrity of a judge. The word connotes not just righteousness but righteousness as a principle leading to thought and action, thinking something that is correct. In the Bible, it used for adjusting to the integrity of God.
