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
The Book of Revelation: Chapter Twenty-Two
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
1 John 5:4, "Because everyone who has been born out from God [the Father] overcomes the world [the system of Satan], and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith [in Christ Jesus]."
All unbelievers live in the sphere of real spiritual death and are influenced, to some degree, by the cosmic system (Satan’s system of motivation, thinking, decision and action). This varies greatly among unbelievers. To the extent the unbeliever adheres to the Divine Laws of Establishment as found in the Mosaic Law, to that extend, he has some protection from Satan’s cosmic (organized) system.
1 John 5:5, "Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"
τίς [δέ] ἐστιν ὁ νικῶν τὸν κόσµον εἰ µὴ ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ;
Revelation 2:26, ‘He [in context, a Christian in Thyatira] who conquers [in the spiritual life in contrast to the ones who are failing in Thyatira; he who overcomes, prevails namely the winner in the spiritual life; also used in law as a winner in a legal case] and keeps My assignments until the end [of his life], To him I will give authority over the nations, [as a blessing in the Millennium and since there will be a limited number of nations, this blessing obviously will not be for all Christians];'
καὶ ὁ νικῶν καὶ ὁ τηρῶν ἄχρι τέλους τὰ ἔργα µου, δώσω αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν,
The Greek verb nikao meaning to overcome, to conquer, to be victorious. The aorist participle of this verb ho vikesas was used in Greek literature to designate the conqueror. In the Bible it is used for the unbeliever conquering or overcoming Satan’s cosmic system at the point of his salvation. It is also used for the Christian being victorious in the spiritual warfare in the Rebuttal phase of the Angelic Appeal Trial. To say or imply that all Christians overcome or are victorious in their spiritual lives is a dog which doesn’t bark.
What a pastor teaches must make sense since God makes sense. If it doesn’t make sense, the members of the congregation should not blindly accept it for example, a very brilliant neurologist in California challenged R.B. Thieme Jr. regarding his teaching on emotion. The Colonel (Pastor Thieme Jr.) accepted this challenge and did more research and discovered that emotion indeed was not located in the soul, but in the body.
Outline of Revelation 22:
Verses:
1-5. The final description of the Eternal State
6-11. The dialogue of John and the angel
12-17. The final declaration of Jesus Christ
18-21. The final warning of John the Apostle
Revelation 22:1
Then, he [the angel] showed me the River of the Water of Life [the first monument of eternal life], clear as crystal [very beautiful], coming from the throne of God [the Father for judging the humanity of Christ] and from the throne of the Lamb [the humanity of Christ for receiving the judgment of the sins of humanity].
Καὶ ἔδειξέν µοι ποταµὸν ὕδατος ζωῆς λαµπρὸν ὡς κρύσταλλον, ἐκπορευόµενον ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀρνίου.
Revelation 22:2
In the middle of the street [made out of translucent, flawless gold] of the city [was the River of the Water of Life]; so, on either side of the river, the Tree [the cross] of Life [the 2nd monument to the saving work of Christ on the cross] with its twelve kinds of fruit [Designed for the enjoyment and possibly to produce enhanced capacity for the great believers residing in this eternal city.], yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations [a memorial to the Laws of Establishment and eternal peace among nations; the nations themselves will be for the purpose of identity, privacy and property].
ἐν µέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς καὶ τοῦ ποταµοῦ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ξύλον ζωῆς ποιοῦν καρποὺς δώδεκα, κατὰ µῆνα ἕκαστον ἀποδιδοῦν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ φύλλα τοῦ ξύλου εἰς θεραπείαν τῶν ἐθνῶν.
Regarding the River of the Water of Life and the Tree of Life:
1. The River of the Water of Life has two sources namely the throne of God the Father and that of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. These two sources of water then merge into the River of the Water of Life which river flows through the center of a golden street and away from these two thrones.
3. So, this street is divided by a median and that median is the River of the Water of Life.
4. On either side of this River is the Tree of Life. However, to eat from the Tree of Life is not for all believers, but a privilege of the mature believers as per Revelation 2:7.
5. Both the River of Water of Life and the Tree of Life are monuments to the grace of God and are visual guarantees to all believers of the integrity of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Tree of Life:
Revelation 2:7, “He who has an ear [capable of perception, but involves motivation and volition], let him hear what the Spirit communicates to the churches. To him who is a winner [overcomes], I will authorize him [predictive future: I will give him the privilege] to eat from the Tree of Life which is in the Paradise of God. [in the New Jerusalem of the eternal state]”
Connected with your ears is a principle called volition. You can learn anything you want to even though it may take you a little while. The ear represents the grace system of perception. Hearing has always been one of the major systems of perspicacity. God has provided a grace system for the perception of Bible doctrine, a system where IQ is not an issue, only positive volition and consistent decisions to learn doctrine; this goes far beyond merely hearing sound. It deals with motivation and volition and your desire to learn, your teachability. What you learn today motivates you for learning something in addition to that tomorrow. Doctrine is built on doctrine and each doctrine learned becomes motivation for learning the rest.
The Tree of Life was associated with perfect happiness in the environment of the Garden of Eden, as well as the perpetuation of Adam and his wife’s relationship with God in the Garden, Genesis 2:9, “Out of the ground, the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight, and good for food; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” Genesis 3:22, “Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, and now, he might stretch-out his hand and take from the Tree of [everlasting] Life and eat and live forever.” When man sinned and was driven out of the Garden, he was cut off from the Tree of Life, Genesis 3:24, “So, He drove the man out and at the east of the garden of Eden, He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the Tree of Life.” The tree of life is not seen again by man until the eternal state, Revelation 2:7.
Paradise:
1. A Persian word describing a garden where the Parsi (the Persians) partied.
2. Within the palace of the Persian kings, was a garden designed for magnificent parties associated with great happiness. This magnificent garden was called paradise.
3. In the New Jerusalem, God will have his own Paradise Club with beautiful gardens for winners only.
At this point, it is important for us to understand why Adam rejected the Tree of Life in the garden for the woman outside of the garden. By creation, man was designed for happiness, and prosperity which was to be perpetuated indefinitely as long as he was positive toward God’s plan. The prohibition to not eat from the fourth tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the only test of obedience. Only disobedience to this one command could destroy their happiness and relationship with God. The tree of life, of course, combined capacity for happiness with immortality (perfect happiness and immortality go together) and could only be lost by a negative action on the part of the man and the woman. In other words, the Tree of Life would be useless to man in the status of spiritual death, and since man died spiritually when he ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, it was absolutely, necessary that the Tree of Life be removed until a future time namely the eternal state. At which time it will not be for the purpose of immortality.
Because the tree of life is related to the subject of human happiness. The book of Proverbs has something to say about the subject, Proverbs 3:13-18, “How happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding [of doctrine]. (14) For its profit is better than the profit of money, and its gain [the gain of understanding of doctrine is better] than fine gold. (15) She [the personification of Bible doctrine] is more precious than jewels, and nothing can compare with her [Bible doctrine]. (16) Long life [a full life] is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor [rewards in time]. (17) Her ways [the ways of doctrine] are pleasant ways, and all her paths are prosperity. (18) She is a tree of life [capacity of life producing happiness] to those who take hold of her [doctrine], and happy are all who hold her fast [doctrine resident in the soul].” In time, learning Bible doctrine is as close as we can get to the Tree of Life. Those who persist in the perception of doctrine in time will eat from the Tree of Life in eternity.
Proverbs 11:11-31, “By the blessing of the upright [the mature believer] a city is exalted [blessing by association via a pivot], but by the mouth of the wicked one [the cosmic believer] it is destroyed. (12) He who despises his neighbor [hatred] is destitute of doctrine, but a man of understanding minds his own business [the function of privacy]. (13) He who functions as a talebearer [a violation of privacy] reveals secrets, but he who is faithful of spirit conceals the matter. (14) Where there is no guidance [from truth], the people fail; but where there is no lack of leadership there is deliverance. (15) He who is a co-signer of a note for a stranger [attempting to gain friendship] will suffer for it, but he who hates co-signing is secure. (16) A grace woman acquires integrity [honor], a strong man in doctrine attains happiness. (17) The grace man benefits his own soul with happiness, but the cruel person [cosmic believer] troubles his own flesh. (18) The wicked [the cosmic believer] earns the wages of a lie, but he who sows righteousness has a true reward. [The true reward is the tree of life.] (19) The truly righteous believer lives [a fulfilling life], but he who pursues evil [the cosmic believer] goes to his death [doctrine of the sin unto death]. (20) The Lord detests men of distorted right lobes [an unhappy person], but the upright in the way [the believer positive toward doctrine] are his delight. (21) Be sure of this, the evil will not go unpunished; but the descendants of the righteous will be delivered [there is blessing by association]. (22) Like a ring of gold in a pig’s snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion [or wisdom]. (23) The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the evil [the cosmic believer] is wrath. [In other words, they make decisions that bring disaster upon themselves.] (24) One man gives generously yet gains even more; another man is stingy and comes to poverty. (25) A generous man will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. [Great believers are happy and generous.] (26) People curse the man who hoards grain; but blessing crowns the one who is willing to sell. (27) He who seeks good, finds grace blessing; but evil comes to him who seeks it. (28) He who trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will prosper like the green leaf. (29) He who causes sorrow to his family will inherit the wind, and the fool will be the servant of the wise in the right lobe. (30) The fruit of the mature believer is a tree of life [ happiness with capacity], and he who is wise, wins souls [wisdom comes first]. (31) If the righteous will be rewarded on earth [the mature believer who has happiness on earth]; how much more the wicked [the cosmic believer] and the sinner will receive discipline.”
Proverbs 13:10-16, “Through arrogance comes nothing but strife [arrogance means unhappiness], but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (11) Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. (12) Hope deferred makes the heart [right lobe] sick; but desire fulfilled [in learning doctrine] is a tree of life. [In other words, you will never find happiness through your hopes in getting something you associate with happiness. Your happiness will only come from feeding on the tree of life that is capacity from the intake of Bible doctrine]. (13) The one who despises the word will pay for it, but the one who respects the mandate of God will be rewarded. (14) The teaching of the wise [communicator] is the fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. (15) Good understanding of doctrine wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful does not endure. (16) Every wise person acts out of knowledge of doctrine, but a fool [the cosmic believer] exposes his folly.”
Proverbs 15:1-5, “A gentle answer [a happy and wise person doesn’t react angrily when he is challenged or when someone is being unkind] turns away wrath, but harsh words [of a person without soul-capacity] stirs up anger. (2) The tongue of a wise person makes doctrine acceptable, but the mouth of a fool [cosmic believer] gushes folly. (3) The eyes of the Lord are everywhere [the omniscience of God], keeping watch on the evil and on the good. (4) A soothing [healing] tongue is a tree of life. [The healing tongue is the teaching of doctrine which produces the tree of life], but perversion in it [the tongue] crushes the spirit [distorting doctrine crushes the spirit]. (5) A fool despises his father’s discipline, but he who regards correction demonstrates prudence.”
Revelation 22:3
There shall no more be any curse [perfect restoration] furthermore, the throne of God [the Father] and of the Lamb [God the Son] shall be in it [perfect administration], and his servants shall serve him [perfect subordination];
καὶ πᾶν κατάθεµα οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι. καὶ ὁ θρόνος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀρνίου ἐν αὐτῇ ἔσται, καὶ οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ λατρεύσουσιν αὐτῷ,
Comparing the eternal state with the Millennium: During the Millennial reign of Christ, the curse will be lifted from planet earth, that is from nature, but not from people. People will still have their old sin natures and so the concept of total depravity will still exist. The difference in the eternal state is that there will be perfect people in perfect environment, so that perfect environment will be enjoyed by perfect people with the necessary capacity. There will be no such thing as a flawed personality or any “unfortunate” personalities or personality conflicts in the eternal state.
Revelation 22:4
They shall both see his face [of our Lord], and his royal title shall be on their foreheads.
καὶ ὄψονται τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ ὄνοµα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν µετώπων αὐτῶν.
There will be a new relationship with God. The believer will be face to face with the Shekinah glory, our Lord Jesus Christ, without any fear of death, and the believer will be identified forever by having the title of our Lord on his forehead. A reminder that we belong to Christ forever.
Revelation 22:5
And there will be no more night; furthermore, they do not have need of the light of lamp nor the light of the sun, for the Lord God [the Shekinah Glory] will give them light [illuminate them: the Shekinah Glory will shine through all the perfect flawless gems of the New Eternal Jerusalem] and they shall reign forever and ever.
καὶ νὺξ οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι, καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν χρείαν φωτὸς λύχνου καὶ φῶς ἡλίου, ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεὸς φωτίσει ἐπí αὐτούς, καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.
Summary: Verses 3-5
Perfect restoration, Perfect administration, Perfect subordination, Perfect relationship, Perfect identification, Perfect illumination, and Perfect exultation summarizes these verses.
Verses 6-11: a dialog between John and the angel:
Revelation 22:6
Then, he [a high-ranking angel, a professor of eschatology] said to me [the Dative of Advantage means that it was to the advantage of John to listen to this teaching] "These doctrines [the content of Revelation] are dependable [inspiring faith] and true. Therefore, the Lord the God of the spirits of the prophets [for those who possessed the gift of prophecy, God the Holy Spirit provided information to them via their human spirits], has sent his angel [this angelic professor] to make known [this information] to his servants [John and other future students of Revelation] what things must soon take place [there is no prophecy to be fulfilled before the Rapture].
Καὶ εἶπέν µοι, Οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι πιστοὶ καὶ ἀληθινοί, καὶ ὁ κύριος, ὁ θεὸς τῶν πνευµάτων τῶν προφητῶν, ἀπέστειλεν τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ δεῖξαι τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχει.
The principle is very simple. God’s Word, including the book of Revelation, reflects the absolute veracity of God’s attributes. When we are studying the Word of God, we are studying the absolute, perfect attributes of God Himself. The Bible, then, is a reflection of divine essence. Hence, the Bible contains doctrine from God as absolute truth. Though everything in the Bible is true, it is not all truth since it also records the Satanic lies, the evil functions of fallen angels and mankind, but the inspiration of the writers of Scripture guarantees the veracity of what is recorded in expiration.
Revelation 22:7
Therefore, behold [concentrate], I am coming [futuristic present] soon [in a sequence of event, this is the next one]." Happy is he who keeps the doctrines of the prophecy from this book.
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔρχοµαι ταχύ. µακάριος ὁ τηρῶν τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου.
The Church age has no prophecy except for the beginning and end. It is an age of historical trends as per Revelation 2-3. Therefore, we say that the Rapture is imminent: it could occur at any time since there is no prophecy to be fulfilled before the Rapture. Since the book of Revelation was written to the Church, this must refer to the Rapture (Revelation 22:17). “One day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day.”
The Rapture or the resurrection of Church Age Believers; a few brief points:
1. The Promise of the Rapture: John 14:1-3, "If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself."
2. James gives us an admonition in James 5:7-8, "Therefore, brethren, have patience until the coming of the Lord [Rapture]. The farmer waits with anticipation for the valuable production of the soil, constantly being patient until it has received the early and the latter rains. Have patience! Furthermore, all of you become stabilized in your right lobes because the coming of the Lord [Rapture] has approached with the result that it is drawing nearer and nearer."
3. Three times in Revelation is the phrase, "I am coming soon": Revelation 22:7, 12, 20. Remember that, to the Lord, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day. This statement was made in A.D. 96, and this is now A.D. 2023. Therefore, "soon" connotes imminency, not immediacy.
4. Titus 2:13, "Waiting with keen anticipation for that blessed hope [Rapture], even the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus."
5. 1 Corinthians 6:14, "Now God [the Father] has not only resurrected our Lord, but He will raise us up through His power."
6. The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit restored our Lord's human soul in Hades to His body in the grave and thereby became an agent in the resurrection of the humanity of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died as a substitute for our sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive [given a resurrection body] by the Spirit.” Also, the Spirit will be the agent in providing a resurrection body for those in mortal bodies at the Rapture. Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [at the Rapture] through His Spirit who indwells in you.”
7. Two categories of believers at the Rapture. 1 Corinthians 15:53, “For this perishable [the interim body of those Christians who died before the Rapture] must put on imperishable [an eternal body], and this mortal [the mortal body of those alive at the Rapture] must put on immortality [eternal body].”
8. 1 John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears [at the Rapture], we will be like Him [a resurrection body similar to that of Jesus] because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone [the believer with momentum] who keeps having this confidence [from doctrine in the soul] in him purifies himself [by advancing in fellowship] just as that one is pure [the humanity of Christ remained in fellowship with God during the 1st Advent].”
9. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, "But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are asleep that you may not grieve, as to the rest of the world [of unbelievers] who have no confidence. (14) If we believe that Jesus died and rose again [and we do], even so God [omnipotence of God the Father] will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. (15) For this doctrine we communicate to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord [Rapture] shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel [for mortality to receive immorality] and with the trumpet of God [the Father’s trumpet command for corruption to become incorruption]; in fact, the dead in Christ shall rise first. (17) Then, we [Paul identifies himself with those who will be alive at the Rapture] who are living who remain on the earth shall be caught up together with them [dead believers] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Therefore, comfort each other with these doctrines.”
The mistake of the apostle John verses 8-9:
Revelation 22:8
I John am he who heard and saw these things. Then, when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me;
Κἀγὼ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀκούων καὶ βλέπων ταῦτα. καὶ ὅτε ἤκουσα καὶ ἔβλεψα, ἔπεσα προσκυνῆσαι ἔµπροσθεν τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ ἀγγέλου τοῦ δεικνύοντός µοι ταῦτα.
The content of the doctrine of the teaching angel was so fantastic, so inspiring to John that he had an emotional response resulting in what might be classified as an impulsive act. In other words, enthusiasm for doctrine sometimes leads people to glorify the teacher of doctrine rather than the subject of doctrine who in this case is our Lord Jesus Christ. The teacher of doctrine is a voice, the means of communication of doctrine. This was a repetition of John’s mistake in Revelation 19:10, “Then I fell at his feet [a high-ranking angel] to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." It is possible to become so carried away with the Word that you confuse the communicator with the content, a great distraction to learning the Word.
Revelation 22:9
But he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God, [not one of his creatures].”
καὶ λέγει µοι, Ὅρα µή· σύνδουλός σού εἰµι καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου τῶν προφητῶν καὶ τῶν τηρούντων τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου· τῷ θεῷ προσκύνησον.
Essentially the message from the angel to John was simple namely it is not the messenger, it is the message. So, it is the same old story: it is not the man it is always the message. The day one gets his eyes on the teacher of doctrine, he ceases to understand and learn the content of doctrine. Momentum in the Christian life comes from perception of doctrine. The believer must be occupied with Christ, not preoccupied with the communicator of doctrine.
Revelation 22:10
Then, he [the angel] said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book [Revelation is meant to be an open book studied and understood by all Church Age believers] for the time is near [the historical sequence of the Times of the Gentiles with Gentile Client Nations. The Christians within these Client Nations need to learn the content of Revelation].
καὶ λέγει µοι, Μὴ σφραγίσῃς τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου, ὁ καιρὸς γὰρ ἐγγύς ἐστιν.
John has been writing these things down and will be sending them to the seven Churches of Asian Minor. Revelation is an open book, not a closed one. It needs to be taught many times. So, believers can orient themselves spiritually as well as historically to the time in which they live for Revelation is a historical textbook from 96 AD to the end of time.
SPQR (Senatus populusque Romanus) at the time of John’s writing was the client nation. The time was near for preparing the Roman Empire for its role as a client nation. The seven churches of Asian Minor needed to understand some history and to orient to their responsibility. They needed to be encouraged and to know that they and not the emperors would bring in prosperity. This book needed to be open to these Seven Churches and to Churches in every generation.
After finishing this book, John would leave the Island of Patmos and go back to Ephesus for about another 30 years of ministry for Domitian, the emperor who sent John to the Island of Patmos, was assassinated on September of 96 A.D., and the subsequent emperor, Nerva permitted John to leave.
Revelation 22:11
He who does wrong [the Christian functioning out of fellowship with God], let him continue to do wrong [God in eternity past made a sovereign decision to permit free will to co-exist with his sovereign will]; he who is degenerate, let him continue to be degenerate [moral and immoral degeneracy as a part of free will]; Furthermore, let the righteous [the advancing believer] still produce integrity; let the saint continue to be set apart [don’t bother the believer living in the plan of God]."
ὁ ἀδικῶν ἀδικησάτω ἔτι, καὶ ὁ ῥυπαρὸς ῥυπανθήτω ἔτι, καὶ ὁ δίκαιος δικαιοσύνην ποιησάτω ἔτι, καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ἁγιασθήτω ἔτι.
This passage is dealing with life in the cosmic system versus life in God’s plan which is the protocol plan of God. As long as human history continues, mankind possesses volition with freedom to choose for God or Satan’s cosmic system. Furthermore, this option or free will exists in the entire period of the believer’s life in time. The options are clarified by the divine mandates and these mandates are the basis for the believer’s responsibility to fulfill the protocol plan of God. From the standpoint of the plan of God all believers are either winners or losers based upon their free will decisions.
No one has called you to be a crusader. There are a lot of believers who are not living the spiritual life. They are moral, but out of fellowship with God involved in wrong doing. A wrong thing done in a right way is wrong etc. The Lord didn’t preach to those in Sodom and Gomora for they already made countless decisions for degeneracy, rather he wiped them out at the right time. All mankind is responsible for his own decisions.
Verses 12-17: Our Lord’s final declaration:
Revelation 22:12
"Behold [concentrate], I [the Lord Jesus Christ] am coming soon [futuristic present: the imminency of the Rapture], and my reward [includes decorations] is with me to decorate [to reward, provide privileges] each one [winners] when his accomplishment is evaluated [as his accomplishment is: ellipsis demands this last word].
Ἰδοὺ ἔρχοµαι ταχύ, καὶ ὁ µισθός µου µετí ἐµοῦ, ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ ὡς τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ.
A few passages and points for greater elucidation:
Philippians 2:9-11, “Therefore also God [the Father] has exalted him to the maximum, [the exaltation came when our Lord’s third royal patent was awarded after His ascension] and has given him a royal title which is superior to every royal title, (10), that in the presence of the person of Christ [this is at the Rapture] every knee in heaven shall bow, [this assembly takes place in the air, the first heaven] both the ones who are on the earth [believers who are alive at the Rapture], and the ones under the earth [believers who died before the Rapture], (11), and every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Romans 14:10, “You there, why do you [the weak believer] judge your fellow believer? Or you also, why do you [the strong believer] regard your fellow believer with contempt? For we shall all stand before the Evaluation Platform of God [the Judgment Seat of the Lord Jesus Christ]”
1 Corinthians 3:12-15, “Now if any man builds on the foundation [Christ] with gold, silver, precious stones, [produced in fellowship and so rewardable] wood, hay, straw [produced out of fellowship and so not rewardable], (13) each man’s work [Christian work or production] will become evident; for the day [The Evaluation Platform of Christ after the Rapture] will show it because it is to be revealed by fire, in fact the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work [not sin for sin was only an issue on the cross]. (14) If any man’s work which he has built upon it [the foundation] remains, he will receive a reward. (15) If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss [of his escrow blessings for eternity], but he himself will be delivered, yet so as through fire [the believer does not go through fire, but he will think that he did because of his shame].
When the Rapture takes place, each believer will be evaluated; some will receive rewards and decorations; others will receive nothing. Inequality is a sign of freedom.
Revelation 22:12, “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me to decorate each winner according to his accomplishments.” ‘Soon’ refers to the imminency of the Rapture, for there is no prophecy left to be fulfilled before the Rapture. This verse says that the winners will receive their escrow blessings for eternity at the Judgment Seat of Christ [the Evaluation Platform of Christ].
1. The main purpose of this evaluation is to decorate the mature believers “My reward is with Me”.
2. Sin is neither mentioned at the Great White Throne Judgment for unbelievers nor at the Evaluation Platform of Christ for believers. The issue at the Evaluation Platform of Christ will be whether you will receive your Escrow Blessings or not.
3. The issue at the Evaluation Platform of Christ will be the quality of your production. Will you have gold, silver and precious gems or will it be wood, hay and stubble!
Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha [as deity] and the Omega [Hypostatic Union: similar to Deuteronomy 6:4], the first [God the Son as deity preexisted history] and the last [the Lord Jesus Christ terminates history] the beginning [He began history with the creation of mankind] and the end [terminates human history with judgment of the unbeliever and blessing of believers in the eternal state]."
ἐγὼ τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ, ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος.
The eternal rewards of the believer: verse 14:
Revelation 22:14
Happy are those who wash their robes [the continuous use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the intake of God’s Word] in order that [a final purpose clause] they may have [predictive future] the privilege [the right] to the Tree of Life and that they may enter the city by the gates. [Mature believers will have access to the New Jerusalem and to the Paradise Club]
Μακάριοι οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, ἵνα ἔσται ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τοῖς πυλῶσιν εἰσέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν.
“Washing of the robes’ is analogous to using the Recovery Procedure, a priestly function by which the believer escapes the cosmic system and recovers his spiritual life. After which, the believer then advances to spiritual maturity under the enablement of the Holy Spirit.
The exclusion of the unbeliever: verse 15:
Revelation 22:15
Outside [of the eternal state] are the dogs [unbelievers who follow the pattern of the dog as per 2 Peter 2:21-22a]: drug addicts and male fornicators and murderers and idolaters [demonism and the phallic cult: combines demonism with fornication], and everyone who loves and practices the lie [a pathological liar impulsively lies to avoid reality, and truth even when it is completely unnecessary. Since he loves to lie and always does so, he has no integrity. All of these combine to make it extremely difficult for him to believe in Christ.].
ἔξω οἱ κύνες καὶ οἱ φάρµακοι καὶ οἱ πόρνοι καὶ οἱ φονεῖς καὶ οἱ εἰδωλολάτραι καὶ πᾶς φιλῶν καὶ ποιῶν ψεῦδος.
There is a similar passage in Revelation 21:8, but the reason for these lists is different. In Revelation 21:8, the unbelievers never even considered the salvation-message due to their cowardly attitude in facing eternity and in their involvement in sins of distraction whereas in Revelation 22:15, the unbelievers did hear the gospel and subsequently had rejected it. The unbeliever may have not been degenerate before hearing the gospel, but after hearing it and rejecting it, he will become degenerate. So, this list of sins are those sins which the unbeliever had rejected at one point in his life, but after rejecting the gospel, his attitude and thinking changed due to black-out of the soul. As his soul was shedding truth through the process of blackout, the sins in this list became more appealing.
Documentation regarding the Greek word ekso (outside or outsiders).
Mark 4:11, “And He was saying to them, ‘To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those outside [τοῖς ἔξω: to the outsiders namely the unbelievers] get everything in parables’”,
1 Corinthians 5:12-13a, “For what have I [Paul] to do with judging outsiders [τοὺς ἔξω: unbelievers]? Do you not judge those who are within the church? Yes, of course [for that is your right and responsibility]. (13) But those who are outside [τοὺς δὲ ἔξω: the unbeliever], God judges.”
Colossians 4:5, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders [τοὺς ἔξω: unbelievers], making the most of the opportunity.”
1Thessalonians 4:12, “so that you may walk honestly [respectably] toward those outside [τοὺς ἔξω: unbelievers], and so that you may not lack in anything [regarding material needs].”
Documentation regarding dogs:
2 Peter 2:21-22a, “For it would have been better for them [the victims of false teaching] not to have known the way of righteousness [the gospel with emphasis on imputed righteousness] than having known it completely, to turn away [culminative aorist: strong rejection of the gospel after all the facts] from the holy commandment [the command to believe in Jesus Christ: 1 John 3:23] delivered to them [via normal and the crisis evangelism]. (22) It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog [reference to a gentile unbeliever] returns to his own vomit,” [paraphrased from Proverbs 26:11].”
When the dog vomits, it represents rejection of false teaching, and sins of degeneracy. It is very unusual for a dog to vomit since he is a scavenger; it really has to be bad. The return to the vomit and eating it is the acceptance of false doctrine and a movement toward degeneracy. By analogy, the dog vomiting is his rejecting drugs, male fornication, murder and idolatry, but after hearing and rejecting the gospel both through normal and crisis evangelism, he goes back to what he has rejected and now desires one or more of the following: the drugs, male fornication, murders, idolatry and the ones practicing the lie.
Matthew 7:6, “Stop giving what is holy [information about the spiritual life] to dogs [gentile unbelievers], and stop throwing your pearls before swine [religious Jewish unbelievers], with the result that [or] they will trample them [information about the spiritual life] under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
Matthew 15:22-28, “And behold, a woman of Canaan [a Phoenician] coming out of same coasts kept calling out to Him [importunity: troublesomely urgent from the viewpoint of the disciples], saying, ‘Have mercy on me [apply grace to me], O Lord [as a believer, she recognizes the deity of Christ], Son of David! My daughter is horribly [implies that some illness was related to this possession] demon possessed [the daughter is a gentile unbeliever].’ (23) But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and kept on begging Him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps on calling out after us [the disciples were embarrassed].’ (24) But He answered and said [to the Canaanite woman], I am not sent except to the lost sheep [unbelievers] of the house of Israel [not to gentile unbelievers such as her daughter]. (25) Then, she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me! (26) But He answered and said, ‘It is not fitting to take the Jewish children's bread [grace provision] and to throw it to the little dogs [a reference to her gentile demon possessed daughter].’ (27) And she said, ‘True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs [provision] which fall from their masters' tables.’ (28) Then, Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! So be it to you even as you wish.’ And her daughter [a demon possessed gentile unbeliever] was healed from that very hour [the demon was removed],”
Psalm 22:16, “The dogs [Roman Gentile unbelievers] have surrounded me [Jesus on the cross]; the assembly of the wicked [the religious Jews], they have encircled me, they [the Roman soldiers] have pierced my hands and my feet [when Jesus was first nailed to the cross].”
Regarding the Sins mentioned in this Passage:
The Greek noun “pharmakos” is where we get the English word ‘pharmacy.’ It refers to a sorcerer or a drug user. These meanings are closely related since many sorcerers were drug users. If a person becomes addictive to narcotics, the neurons of the brain will be damaged or destroyed and so limit or seriously damage the cognitive function of the brain. If the unbeliever destroys this important function, he will not be able to comprehend the gospel and so dies as an unbeliever bound for the Lake of Fire.
In this verse, we do not have the Greek word porne which is a prostitute, but instead we have the Greek word “pornos” which is a male who fornicates or commits adultery. Prostitutes are not normally preoccupied with sex; they are just trying to make a living. However, men who are involved in much fornication become obsessed with sex. They never look beyond the female body in a one-night stand. They look at life from the standpoint of sexual stimulation, never understanding that happiness is in the soul. They are so preoccupied with their present or next conquest that they never give the salvation message any real consideration.
The Greek word phoveus is a murderer. Murder produces a lot of scar tissue in the soul to the point of destroying faith. Some scar tissue is destructive to the soul; a lot of scar tissue destroys the ability to use faith. Once a person’s faith has been destroyed, he is not able to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior.
The Greek noun eidololatres refers to an idolater. An idolater is someone who worships an idol, a physical object which represents a god that is a demon. If one worships demons, it is an easy step to become demon possessed. Obviously, if one is worshipping demons, he will not give much thought to the gospel. Furthermore, if a person is so weak that he is willing to turn his body over to a demon, he has lost considerable control over his volition. An idolater or worse a demon possessed idolater has severely hindered his chances of becoming a believer.
The Greek phrase, poion pseudos means practicing the lie, a pathological liar. Pathological liars lie all the time even when it is not necessary, and they do so to avoid facing reality. If a person never faces reality regarding the simple things in this life, how is he ever going to face the reality of the eternal state and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?
You might wonder why are other sins not mentioned in this list like worry, fear, telling an occasional lie etc.! The sins which are opposed to the Laws of Establishment are rejected in this passage by the Unbeliever (the dog vomiting up something bad). Such sins as worry, fear etc. do not fit into this category.
Certain sins can distract and hinder the unbeliever from believing in Christ. To die without believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is the worst and most horrible thing that could ever happen. When the unbeliever’s soul departs from his mortal body, it is his first death; when he enters into the Lake of Fire, it is called the Second Death (Revelation 20:14) for he will for all eternity be separated from having fellowship with God.
Revelation 22:16
"I, Jesus have sent my angel [the one who taught John] to declare these things to you for the benefit of the churches. I am the root [as God he created Adam, and subsequently brought about Abraham, Judah and David] and the descendant of David [a reference to the humanity of Christ], the bright morning star [at His Session He was given the title, “The King over kings and the Lord over Lords, the Bright Morning Star]."
Ἐγὼ Ἰησοῦς ἔπεµψα τὸν ἄγγελόν µου µαρτυρῆσαι ὑµῖν ταῦτα ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. ἐγώ εἰµι ἡ ῥίζα καὶ τὸ γένος ∆αυίδ, ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ λαµπρὸς ὁ πρωϊνός.
Verse 17: A Final Salvation Invitation:
Revelation 22:17
Both the Spirit [the divine side of evangelism: the Holy Spirit in common and efficacious grace] and the bride [the human side of evangelism: the Church: the function of evangelism] say, "Come [the imperative of entreaty has the force of an urgent request, on the part of the Church: invitation for unbelievers to believe]." Furthermore, the one who hears [the perfective present: the first stage of evangelism, a reference to Common Grace] let him [unbeliever] think [culminative aorist: as a result of academic information], "Come [think in terms of the invitation: transition from common to efficacious grace; expressing faith in Christ]." Consequently, the one who is thirsty [the person at God-consciousness who desired to know God] let him come [the one who was positive in the past and at gospel hearing], the one who desires [salvation], let him take [the use of faith which will be made efficacious by the Spirit] of the water of life [salvation] without cost [salvation is a grace provision].
Καὶ τὸ πνεῦµα καὶ ἡ νύµφη λέγουσιν, Ἔρχου. καὶ ὁ ἀκούων εἰπάτω, Ἔρχου. καὶ ὁ διψῶν ἐρχέσθω, ὁ θέλων λαβέτω ὕδωρ ζωῆς δωρεάν.
The bride: We are related to God the Son by Biblical analogy. At the moment of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the Church Age believer becomes related to God the Son through eight special Biblical analogies or relationships.
1. The Last Adam and the new spiritual species.
2. The Head and the body. As body of Christ, we are in union with the Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. The Great Shepherd and the sheep.
4. The True Vine and the branches.
5. The Chief Cornerstone and the stones in the building.
6. The Great High Priest and members of the royal priesthood.
7. The Groom and the bride. Our wedding occurs at the Second Advent.
8. The King over Kings and the royal family of God.
Evangelism, Principles of:
Knowledge of salvation is necessary for witnessing. You cannot witness for Christ unless you know the gospel, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us [as ambassadors] the ministry of reconciliation: (19) Namely that God [the Father] was by means of Christ reconciling the world to himself [the principle of unlimited atonement] not counting their trespasses against them [the penalty of our personal sins were imputed directly to Christ on the cross], and he committed to us, the doctrine of reconciliation. (20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were making His appeal through us. We [as ambassadors] invite you [through the gospel message] on behalf of Christ become reconciled to God. (21) And he (Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin [impeccability of Christ] to be a sin offering [Jesus Christ, the high priest offered himself as a sacrifice for the penalty of our sins] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth].”
The Christian has a two-fold witness ministry. Being a witness to the unbeliever and before angels in the Angelic Conflict are the responsibilities of every believer as per Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you [the Filling of the Holy Spirit]. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [The human race was created to function as witnesses in Satan’s appeal trial. So, being witnesses to the unsaved human race is not the primary function of the Christian though important. So, even though a Christian may witness to many unbelievers during his lifetime, if that same believer does not function as a witness in this angelic appeal trial, basically he has failed in his primary mission.]
The effectiveness and clarity of the believer’s witness depends upon his understanding of the last judgment as taught in Revelation 20:12-15 and the convincing ministry as per John 16:8-11. These two passages make it clear that personal sins are not the issue in salvation except the sin of not believing in Jesus Christ.
Witnessing is impossible apart from the ministry of the Holy Spirit, John 16:8-11, “And when that one comes [the Holy Spirit], he will convince the world [the unbeliever] concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; (10) and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me [the need for perfect righteousness]; (11) and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged [If the greatest creature ever created did
not escape judgment nor will you].”
Pertinent content of the Bible is the believer’s weapon in witnessing, 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the Word of the cross to the ones who are perishing [the ones rejecting the gospel] is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” [If the unbeliever refuses to listen to the gospel or rejects the gospel information after hearing it (Common Grace followed by the Call of God the Father), then the gospel and all other spiritual information in the Bible will appear to him as foolishness. 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the soulish-man [ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος, a reference to the unbeliever] does not accept the things from the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are discerned spiritually.” [Regarding God’s word, the unbeliever can only understand the Laws of Establishment and the gospel via Common Grace and nothing else since the unbeliever does not have a human spirit.]
The dynamics of witnessing depend upon the believer’s mental attitude, Romans 1:14-16, “I am under obligation both to the civilized unbelievers [those with Greek culture and language] and to the uncivilized unbelievers [like the barbarians of Spain] both to the wise [mature believers] and to the ignorant [includes baby, adolescent, and reversionistic believers]. (15) Thus, my eagerness to proclaim the good news [both the gospel and the spiritual life] to you who are in Rome. (16) For I am not ashamed of the good news regarding salvation, for it is the power of God for providing salvation to anyone who believes in Christ, both to the Jew foremost [first in privilege] and likewise to the Gentiles.” [Paul had a sense of obligation based upon a sense of honor. From that sense of honor toward God comes a sense of duty or responsibility toward others, both to the unbeliever and believer.]
There are two areas of witnessing namely the witness of the life as per 2 Corinthians 3:3, “Being manifested [to people and angels] that you are a letter from Christ, having been ministered to by us; therefore, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone but on the tablets of the human heart [stream of consciousness].” and the witness of the lips as per 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, “For the love for Christ keeps motivating us, having concluded this, that one died [a substitutionary death] for all, therefore all died [real spiritual death at birth]; (15) and He [Christ] died as a substitute for all in order that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was resurrected [rose again] on their behalf. (16) Therefore, in the future we regard no one from the human viewpoint [according to the flesh]; even though we have known Christ from the human viewpoint [from the typical viewpoint that we had before we were saved], but now [with cognitive self-confidence and beyond] we know Him in this way no longer. (17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, and he is, he is a new spiritual species; the old things have passed away [lost their power over you, like people emphasis over God emphasis]; behold, new things have come [the ten unique features of the Church Age; the ten Problem Solving-devices; the distribution of Escrow Blessings for time and the anticipation of the distribution of Escrow Blessings for the eternal state]. (18) Now, all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us [His ambassadors] the ministry of reconciliation, (19) namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God [by believing in Jesus Christ as your savior]. (21) He made Him who knew no sin to be a sin offering on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [in union with Christ].”
Paul knew that all the human ability and power in the world cannot persuade even one sinner to trust in Christ as savior. Only the power of the Holy Spirit working through the gospel can break through into the human soul causing an unbeliever to believe in Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:4, “Both my doctrine and my preaching were not in persuasive words of man’s wisdom [not in Greek culture and philosophy; not in rationalism or empiricism], but in the demonstration of the Spirit [regarding the gospel: common and efficacious grace; Paul’s teaching after salvation also was done under the Filling of the Spirit and the power of metabolized doctrine in his soul] and in his power [God’s power is used both in the presentation of the gospel and in the teaching of God’s word which follows].
A few points for clarification regarding the presentation of the Gospel:
1. Human ability and eloquence will not bring a sinner to Christ.
2. Human popularity or success will not bring a sinner to Christ.
3. Human attractiveness will not bring a sinner to Christ.
4. It is not necessary to be intelligent or an intellectual to reach intellectuals.
5. You do not have to learn the unbeliever’s philosophy or viewpoint to present him with the gospel-message.
6. You do not have to cultivate people or become friends with them to witness to them.
If faith in Christ were founded on logic it could be refuted by logic. All it takes is a greater debater, a smarter person using logic. The objective of witnessing is not to win a debate, but to present an absolute, the gospel. The Holy Spirit does the rest.
Proper Evangelism:
1. Give the unbeliever information pertinent to salvation and stay on the subject. Avoid false issues such as legalism, salvation by change of behavior, feeling sorry for sins, joining the church, etc.
2. Never put the cart before the horse. Do not try to get the unbeliever to live the Christian way life. The issue is not living the Christian life, the issue is “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” Acts 16:31; John 3:36.
3. Be sure to declare the good news [the gospel], and in the good news do not confuse it with the issue of sin which has already been resolved on the cross. Only emphasize the person of Christ and His work on the cross. However, after explaining the good news, you may state what will happen if the unbeliever should reject the good news.
4. Do not add to the gospel. Nothing is accomplished by getting a person to give up his sins, to improve his behavioral pattern, or to feel sorry for his sins, to join a church or to walk down a church aisle.
5. Provide information and do not get in the way of the Holy Spirit with regard to the decision of faith. You can’t force the volition of any member of the human race; even God can’t do that.
6. Never ask an unbeliever for money, and avoid any kind of a gimmick that would confuse the issue like asking him to come forward or to stand up during an evangelistic appeal.
Pitfalls in personal witnessing:
1. Avoid argumentation. You are not trying to win a debate; rather you are trying to win a soul to Jesus Christ. Hence, your job is to disseminate information rather than to argue over its validity.
2. Do not be sidetracked by false issues such as: Is the Bible the Word of God? Use the Word of God, don’t argue as to whether the Bible is valid or not. The issue as to whether the Bible is the Word of God or not is an issue for the believer but not for the unbeliever.
3. Deal with the individual alone wherever possible. Often people will give you a hearing, but they will not do so in the presence of others who might ridicule them.
4. Avoid the concept that you must speak to a certain number of individuals each day or you are not spiritual. This is a human viewpoint-pressure system.
5. Avoid bragging about witnessing.
6. Avoid judging other believers for their apparent failure to witness. This is putting your nose into the affairs of other people.
Common and Efficacious Grace
The work of common grace is antecedent to the work of efficacious grace; We inhale the Gospel which is made clear by the Holy Spirit. Then, we exhale faith in Christ, which is made effectual by the work of God the Holy Spirit.
Regarding Common Grace, the unbeliever must hear and listen to the Gospel message or read it. When the Gospel is communicated, the Holy Spirit will make the gospel message understandable to the unbeliever. How can this be since the unbeliever is spiritually dead, and incapable of understanding spiritual matters since he does not possess a human spirit? 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the soulish man [the unbeliever] does not receive the things from the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him, and he is not able to know them because they are spiritually discerned [the need for a human spirit].” So, this verse is telling us that the unbeliever cannot understand spiritual matters. However, though the gospel is spiritual phenomena, the Holy Spirit uses his power to make the gospel clear to the unbeliever even though the unbeliever does not possess a human spirit. John 16:8-11, “And after that one [the Holy Spirit] has come, he will convince the world [of unbelievers] concerning sin, concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. (9) And concerning sin because they have not believed in Me. (10) Concerning righteousness because I go to my father, and you will no longer see Me. (11) And concerning judgment because the ruler of this world has been judged.” John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear My voice [common grace along with the divine call] and I know them [in eternity past] and they follow Me [efficacious grace]. I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand."
Once the unbeliever understands the gospel under the concept of Common Grace, God the Father will invite (the call of God) that unbeliever to enter into fellowship with His son through faith in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “The God [the Father] is faithful through whom [the Father] you were called into fellowship with His son Jesus Christ, our Lord.”
Efficacious grace is the theological term for the work of the Holy Spirit related to faith in Christ. This doctrine might be classified as the doctrine of effectual faith since the faith of the spiritually dead person would be ineffective without help from God, the Holy Spirit. Therefore, efficacious grace is tantamount to effective faith, whereby the Holy Spirit takes the unbeliever's faith in Christ and turns it into his eternal salvation. Ephesians 2:8, 9, “For by grace [Common and Efficacious Grace] you have been saved through faith [of the spiritually dead unbeliever], and this [The Greek touto is neuter and so cannot refer to the previous two feminine nouns, but to the previous concept namely salvation] salvation is not out from yourselves, but the gift from God. Not out from works lest anyone should boast.”
Verses 18-21: The final warning of John the Apostle.
Revelation 22:18
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which have been written [described] in this book,
Μαρτυρῶ ἐγὼ παντὶ τῷ ἀκούοντι τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου· ἐάν τις ἐπιθῇ ἐπí αὐτά, ἐπιθήσει ἐπí αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς τὰς πληγὰς τὰς γεγραµµένας ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ·
Revelation 22:19
And if any one takes away from the doctrines [words] of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life [loss of reward for the believer] and from the holy city [the satellite city], which things have been written in this book.
καὶ ἐάν τις ἀφέλῃ ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων τοῦ βιβλίου τῆς προφητείας ταύτης, ἀφελεῖ ὁ θεὸς τὸ µέρος αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τῆς ἁγίας, τῶν γεγραµµένων ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ.
Revelation 22:20
He [the Lord Jesus Christ] who declares [to give accurate evidence in court] these things [doctrines] has this to say, "Yes [a positive affirmation], I am coming soon [the futuristic present: the imminency of the Rapture stated in 96 A.D.]." John answers, so be it [Come when you want Lord, during the meantime I am here to fulfill your purpose for my life]. Come [imperative of entreaty which expresses a wish or a desire, but during the meantime I will carry on], Lord Jesus!
Λέγει ὁ µαρτυρῶν ταῦτα, Ναί, ἔρχοµαι ταχύ. Ἀµήν, ἔρχου, κύριε Ἰησοῦ.
Revelation 22:21
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all of you [grace begins at birth etc.].
Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ µετὰ πάντων.
The Grace Plan of God:
God’s plan is based on grace, not some philosophical system of human works. Grace means freely given and undeserved. God does all the giving; we undeservedly reap all this giving. For example, in grace God provides for all believers the same spiritual I.Q. Human I.Q. plus the Filling of the Spirit equals spiritual I.Q. Any Christian who implies or states that he, the one with a high human I.Q. alone is able to learn the deep matters of God is in a state of arrogance and does not understand God’s system of grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10a, “By the grace of God I am what I am.”
2 Corinthians 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ [the greatest act of grace took place on the cross] and the love of God [the Father the author of reciprocal love] and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit [the enabling power of the Spirit].” When we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we became the recipients of the greatest possible endowment of grace, and grace pursues the advancing believer his entire life.
