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
Idolatry
Written by: Max Klein
1. The prophet Habakkuk on the Imbecility of Idols:
Habakkuk 2:18-19. What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, or an image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols. (19) Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all inside it.
2. Idolatry is analogous to spiritual adultery. Spiritual adultery was often used in the Old Testament as a synonym for apostasy.
Jeremiah 3:6-10. Then the Lord said to me in the days of Josiah the king, "Have you seen what faithless Israel [the Northern Kingdom] did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there [as part of the phallic cult]. (7) I thought, 'After she has done all these things, she will return to Me'; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah [the Southern Kingdom] saw it. (8) And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, [the 5th Cycle of Discipline administered to the Northern Kingdom by Sargon II of Assyria], yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. (9) Because Israel’s harlotries [the degeneracy of the Northern Kingdom] mattered so little to her [she did not learn from this degeneracy and the Lord’s judgment of it], she polluted the land [of the Southern Kingdom] and committed adultery with stones and trees. (10) Yet in spite of all this, her [Israel’s] treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in deception," declares the Lord.
3. Ezekiel warns the Southern Kingdom before the invasion of the Chaldeans.
Ezekiel 16:23-43. Then, it came about after all your wickedness ('Woe, woe to you!' declares the Lord God), (24) that you built yourself a shrine and made yourself a high place in every square. (25) You built yourself a high place at the top of every street and made your beauty abominable, and you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry. (26) ‘You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to make Me angry. (27) Behold now, I have stretched out My hand against you and diminished your rations [economic disaster]. And I delivered you up to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd conduct. (28) Moreover, you played the harlot with the Assyrians because you were not satisfied; you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied. (29) You also multiplied your harlotry with the land of merchants, Chaldea, yet even with this you were not satisfied [because of all of the scar tissue and garbage].’ (30) How languishing is your heart,’ declares the Lord God, ‘while you do all these things, the actions of a bold-faced harlot. (31) When you built your shrine at the beginning of every street and made your high place in every square, in disdaining money, you were not like a harlot. (32) You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband! (33) Men give gifts to all harlots, but you give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from every direction for your harlotries. (34) Thus, you are different from those women in your harlotries, in that no one plays the harlot as you do, because you give money and no money is given you; thus, you are different.’ (35) Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord. (36) Thus says the Lord God, ‘Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons [child sacrifice] which you gave to idols, (37) therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, even all those whom you loved and all those whom you hated. So, I will gather them against you from every direction and expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness. (38) Thus, I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood [in child sacrifice] are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. (39) I will also give you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and will leave you naked and bare. (40) They will incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords [the administration of the Sin unto Death]. (41) They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then, I will stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay your lovers. (42) (So, I will calm My fury against you and My jealousy will depart from you, and I will be pacified and angry no more [a future restoration]). (43) Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head,’ declares the Lord God, ‘so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations.
4. The Judgment of Ecumenical Religion and the punishment of those who adhere to it:
Revelation 17:1-5. Then, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, [While the teaching angel comes to the geographical location of John, John must come to the presence of the angel from his own positive volition. He must be motivated to want to learn, to desire the information.] I will show you the judgment of the infamous prostitute [the system of ecumenical religion in the Tribulation which religious system attracts a lot of customers as an infamous prostitute] who sits [ just as a horse rider, sitting dominates the horse so, the harlot sitting dominates many areas of the world] on many waters [waters represent the multitude of the peoples throughout the world who are converts to ecumenical religion]. (2) with whom [ecumenical religion] the rulers of the planet earth have fornicated [the only way to fornicate with ecumenical religion is through spiritual immorality], furthermore, the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her spiritual fornication. (3) Then, he [seventh angelic messenger of the execution squad who is now the teaching angel produces the action] brought me by agency of the Spirit [God the Holy Spirit] to a desolate place [religion is a desolate place: joyless, devoid of warmth, comfort or hope, wretched] then, I saw a woman [ecumenical religion] sitting [implies domination: the union of religion and state and religion will initially dominate and be in control] on a scarlet [the color of the Romans when they became conquerors] beast [religion will be united with the dictator of the Revived Roman Empire in order to use their power together to influence and dominate Israel], full [neuter plural to indicate the combining of political power with religion] of blasphemous categories [religion functions from the gates of Cosmic Two], having seven heads [were seven religious empires which influenced and dominated Israel in the past to include Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia-Chaldea, Media-Persia, Graeco-Macedonia, the historical Roman Empire, and the Revived Roman Empire of the Tribulation; more details given in the rest of this chapter] and ten horns [the ten nations of the Revived Roman Empire]. (4) The woman [by analogy a high-class prostitute] was clothed in purple [the color of ecumenical religious leadership] and scarlet [the color of the political hierarchy], and adorned with gold [This is a very wealthy organization] and precious stones and pearls [precious stones and pearls representing the culture and the high-class function of this religion], having in her hand [the hand of ecumenical religion] a golden drinking goblet full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality [literal lasciviousness, sexual immorality on the part of the phallic cult]. (5) and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery [The mystery cults of the ancient world were all demonic as will be this future ecumenical system which is a system for demonization, demon contact and possession], "Babylon the Great [ecumenical religion of the Tribulation], the mother of Harlots and the Abominations of planet earth [the various evils of the phallic cult: demonism, idolatry, fornication, human sacrifice].
Revelation 16:2. Then, the first angel departed and poured out his bowl on planet earth, and it became an ulcer [The Greek word ἕλκος (helkos), the ancient Greek word for cancer, ulcers, or abscesses.] on the skin both pernicious and painful to those persons who had the mark of the beast-dictator, and who worshipped his image.
5. The Christian cannot worship the Lord during the Communion service and simultaneously while living in Satan’s Cosmic System.
1 Corinthians 10:14-21. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry [worship of Satan and his organization]. (15) I speak as to wise men [those with metabolized doctrine in the Corinthian Church]; you indeed discern [evaluate] what I say. (16) Is not the cup of blessing [The cup is called “blessing” because we are blessed by what Jesus Christ did on the cross. It was a cup of cursing for Christ during those last three hours on the cross] in which we rejoice, communion [fellowship] with the blood of Christ [linking the animal sacrifices with the cross; His work on the cross]? Yes, it is [expects a ‘yes’ answer in the Greek] Is not the bread [Christ in hypostatic union] which we break [a picture of His Substitutionary Spiritual Death], communion [fellowship] with the body [person] of Christ? [Fellowship with the body of Christ is a reference to Current Positional Truth.]? Yes, it is [expects a ‘yes’ answer in the Greek] (17) Since there is one bread [the person of Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father], we who are many are one body [Church age believers in union with Christ, a reference to Current Positional Sanctification]; for we all partake of that one bread [all saved the same way]. (18) Observe the racial Jews of Israel [literally Israel according to the flesh]; are not those [Jewish believers] who eat the sacrifices [speaking of the work of Christ on the cross] partakers of the altar [fellow worshippers]? (19) What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? (20) No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons [idolatry] and not to God; and I do not want you to become worshippers with demons. (21) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord [the Communion table requires fellowship] and the cup of demons [demon influence: living in the Cosmic System and other Satanic functions]; therefore, you cannot partake of the table of the Lord [to worship at the Eucharist requires the spiritual life] and the table of demons [living in the Cosmic System under demon influence and its modus operandi].
The Protocol Plan of God and Satan’s system are mutually exclusive. This passage also teaches that Satan has a communion table, a way of worshipping him via the Cosmic System. When the Christian lives inside of the Cosmic System, he is paying tribute to Satan. He is living the life that Satan has designed; he is drinking the cup of demons.
6. Idolatry is related to demonism, demon possession with the Phallic cult, and involved even child sacrifice. It was one of Satan’s greatest systems of religion.
Leviticus 20:1-6. Then, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (2) You shall also say to the sons of Israel: 'Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech [for child sacrifice], shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. (3) 'I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people [to execute him], because he has given some of his offspring to Molech [in child sacrifice], so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name. (4) 'If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, (5) then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech. (6) 'As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
7. Idolatry is related to sexual sins and human sacrifice.
Ezekiel 23:37. For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands [through child sacrifice]. Thus, they have committed adultery with their idols and even caused their sons, whom they bore to Me, to pass through the fire to them [the idols] as food.
Deuteronomy 12:29-32. When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, (30) beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?' (31) You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God, for every abominable act which the Lord hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. (32) Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.
Jeremiah 9:14. But they followed the scar tissue of their hearts and after the Baals, in which their fathers had trained them [parents teaching their sins and evil to their children].
8. Idolatry is always forbidden by God in any form. The first commandment of the Decalogue prohibits mental idolatry; the second commandment prohibits overt idolatry.
Exodus 20:2-5. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (3) You shall have no other gods before Me. (4) You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above [like the Greek god, Zeus who rules heaven as the King of the Olympian gods or Uranus, the first ruler of the universe] or on the earth beneath [like the Greek god Hades as the ruler of the dead] or in the water under the earth [like the Greek god, Poseidon]. (5) You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
9. Idolatry results in the national judgment of the Fifth Cycle of Discipline.
Jeremiah 2:27-30. Who say to a tree [a piece of wood], 'You are my father,' And to a stone, 'You gave me birth.' For they have turned their backs to Me [rejection], and not their faces; yet, in the time of their trouble [during national judgment], they will say, 'Arise [from your slumber; as if the Lord were asleep] and deliver us.' (28) Where then are the gods which you made for yourselves [idolatry]? Let them [their false gods] arise, if they can deliver you in the time of your trouble [they are very close to the 5th Cycle of Discipline which will occur in 586 B.C.]; For according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. (29) Why do you contend with Me? You have all transgressed against Me," declares the Lord. (30) In vain I have struck [intensive divine punishment] your sons; They accepted no chastening [did not respond to divine discipline]. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a destroying lion [they murdered their prophets].
Jeremiah 7:17-20. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? (18) The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven [idolatry], and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me. (19) Do they spite Me?" declares the Lord. "Is it not themselves they spite, to their own shame? (20) Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, my anger and My wrath [an anthropopathism for divine discipline] will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.
Ezekiel 6:4-6. So, your altars will become desolate and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. (5) I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars. (6) In all your dwellings, cities will become waste and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and desolate, your idols may be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be blotted out.
10. Israel became idolatrous through association with the Canaanites.
Psalm 106:34-39. They did not exterminate the peoples [Canaanites], as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations, and adopted their customs [the Phallic cult and idolatry], and they worshipped their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their own sons and daughters to demons. Consequently, they shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did, by their deeds they played the whore.
11. The believer is commanded to have nothing to do with idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:14. Therefore, my beloved brethren, flee from idolatry.
2 Corinthians 6:16. What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols [none]? For we are the temple of the living God [We are indwelt by all three members] just as God has said, [quoting from Leviticus 26:11-12, a Millennial passage which Paul applies to the Church and in so doing makes some minor changes] I will dwell in them [Church Age believers; in the Leviticus passage, “I will put my dwelling place among you”]; I will walk among them [the idea of fellowship], I will be their God [for those with the capacity to appreciate God], and they shall be my people [the Church Age believer replacing Israel during their 5th Cycle of Discipline].
12. Idolatry is caused by rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior which rejection creates a vacuum, and into that vacuum is drawn idolatry.
Romans 1:18-25. For the wrath of God [in Latin ira deum] is being revealed [made evident, plain] from heaven [decisions and judgments from the Supreme Court of Heaven] against all ungodliness [heathenism or unbeliever reversionism] and unrighteousness [after they reject the truth some become immoral and anti-establishment, others become self-righteous and so enter moral degeneration] of mankind who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, (19) because what may be known [evident, plain] about God is revealed in them [in their souls at the point of God consciousness]; for God has made it plain to them. (20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly perceived, being perspicuous through the things He has created, namely, both his eternal power and his divine nature [such as grace, righteousness justice and omniscience] so that they [the human race] are without excuse. [no defense against the integrity of God for negative volition at God consciousness]. (21) For even though they knew him as God [at God-consciousness], they did not glorify [or honor] Him [Christ] as God [negative volition at God-consciousness] nor did they feel obligated to thank Him, in fact, as a result of their negative volition they became futile [received worthless thoughts] in their speculations [evil deliberations], and their foolish heart [ignorant stream of consciousness] receives darkness [black out of the soul]. (22) Although professing themselves [delusional unbelievers] to be wise, they became fools [from blackout of the soul], (23) and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles. (24) Therefore, God turned them over to the lusts from their stream of consciousnesses [the sin nature takes control of the soul when there is unrestrained sin nature function] to sexual impurity [any sex outside of marriage], for the degrading of their bodies with one another. [There is degradation and degeneration such as in homosexuality, lesbianism etc.] (25) for they exchanged the truth of God [understood at God-consciousness] for the lie, and they worshiped and served the creature [Satan and his Cosmic System] rather than the Creator [the Lord Jesus Christ], who is worthy of praise and glorification forever, Amen.
Judges 2:10-13. All that generation [that entered the Land] also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord [unbelievers], nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. (11) Then, the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, (12) and they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them [idolatry]; thus, they provoked the Lord to anger [an anthropopathism for divine judgment]. (13) So, they forsook the Lord and served Baal [the storm god] and the Ashtaroth [the goddess of love, war and fertility of the Canaanite religion].
13. The Christian is not to imitate the lifestyle of the immorally degenerate unbeliever. If he does, he will lose his eternal inheritance. Though he will lose the inheritance of the greater blessings, he cannot lose his salvation.
Ephesians 5:5. For you know [Ephesian believer] this [principle of application] if you have learned the pertinent doctrine that every male prostitute [the idolater of the Greek phallic cult], either a pervert or a pimp [or a panderer], who is an idolater will not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ even God [This is a warning to the Ephesian believers that they could lose their inheritance through promiscuity.].
14. Idolatry begins in the mind and proceeds to overt practice.
Ezekiel 14:7a. For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart [in his soul] . . .
15. Idolatry in relationship to emotional revolt of the soul produces psychotic conditions as well as a variety of phobias.
Jeremiah 50:34, 35, 38. Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of the armies is His name; He will vigorously plead their case [the case of the Jews against the Chaldeans] So, that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon. (35) A sword against the Chaldeans," declares the Lord, "And against the inhabitants of Babylon [the capital city of the Chaldeans at that time] and against her officials and her wise men! (38) A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, and they are mad over fearsome idols.
16. Certain unbelievers are distracted by certain sins.
Revelation 21:8. But for the cowardly ones [unbelievers only in the sense of not being able to face death and eternal future] that is the unbelieving ones [they do not believe in Christ]: detestable ones [people who would tend to make you throw up mentally such as self-righteous people who think that they are qualified by their own merit and so see no need for salvation] murderers [too much scar tissue in the soul caused by sin which scar tissue destroys one’s faith, and too much garbage in the subconscious which links up with the sin nature to make it even more powerful], male fornicators [including adultery; those preoccupied with sex and so do not give the gospel a thought], drug abusers [unable to comprehend the gospel due to drug use], idolaters [distracted through religion and demonic involvement] and all the pathological liars [who never face reality and so do not face the reality of life after death], their part will be in the Lake which burns with fire and sulfur, which is the Second Death.
17. Do not associate with Christian idolaters.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people [those involved in immoral degeneracy]; I did not at all mean with immoral people of this world [unbelievers for they need to hear the gospel from you], or with the greedy [pimps and panderers] and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world, but now I write to you not to associate with any so-called brother, if he should be an immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
