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
Romans Chapter Fourteen
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Proverbs 3:13-15, “How happy [blessed] is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding [of God’s Word], (14) for her profit is better than the profit of silver, and her gain better than fine gold. (15) She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire compares with her.”
These days in the United States the issue of abortion has become a hot topic. This led to a discussion regarding this matter with some members of my congregation. Thus, let me briefly address this issue.
1. We should already understand that human life begins at birth, and not before. If there is any doubt regarding this, may I suggest that you read the booklet, ‘The Origin of Human Life’ by R. B. Thieme Jr.
2. Is having an abortion a matter of personal choice or should the government make that decision? In order to answer this question, we need to know whether having an abortion is a crime or not.
3. If having an abortion were a crime, then of course the government should mandate against it.
4. In order for an abortion to be a crime even a murder, the fetus would have to be viable. In other words, a viable fetus emerges from a mother’s womb at birth; God then imputes soul-life resulting in human life. At that point, there exists a human being. If then someone should kill that newborn child, it would be murder. If on the other hand that fetus was not viable, then God would never impute soul-life to it. In that case, there would only be a fetus without human life, and therefore, not a human being. Then at the very most, the one having an abortion would be destroying a non-viable fetus.
5. When does a fetus become viable? In other words, if a fetus emerges from a mother’s womb, at what stage of development could it live?
6. From my research, the human fetus cannot live unless it is at some point beyond 20 weeks of development. Thus, an abortion cannot be murder if it should occur within that first 20 weeks of development.
7. If an abortion should occur after this period and the fetus should be deemed viable, then of course, it would be murder.
8. If murder is involved, then the government functioning under the Laws of Establishment would have a duty and right to prohibit that abortion.
9. If an abortion on the other hand should occur during the period of development in which the fetus is not viable, then it would not be murder and the government should not be involved.
10. So, if a person should desire an abortion sometime during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy, it becomes a matter of personal choice. For example, if a man’s wife is raped by some criminal and becomes pregnant, she should have the right to have an abortion as long as it’s done before the fetus becomes viable.
11. A person should have certain rights regarding his own body. After all, it is his or her own body. For example, what kinds of foods he chooses to eat, or whether he chooses to subject his body to a vaccination or not or in the case of a woman whether she chooses for a bona fide abortion or not.
12. If a person should contend that he has the right to reject a vaccination but does not approve of other people’s rights to remove an unwanted, non-viable fetus, he is contradicting himself and a bit hypocritical.
13. Some allege that allowing bona fide abortions is tantamount to encouraging promiscuity. This is similar to Christians contending that the use of God’s Recovery Procedure (Rebound) encourages sinning. Both of these allegations are false. Anything that is truthful and Biblical does not encourage promiscuity. Only if one should distort these truths, might they encourage sinning, but doctrine is not built on distortions.
14. Biblically, it is the sin nature that encourages sexual promiscuity, and if this encouragement is agreed upon by the volition, then promiscuity will occur.
15. A Christian well-grounded in the Laws of Establishment and metabolized doctrine circulating in his stream of consciousness with the necessary norms and standards in his or her consciousness, would not be tempted to distort these issues. Only a Christian living his life out of fellowship with no doctrine in his soul and thus having no control over his sin nature would be tempted to distort these issues.
16. For a Christian to support the government’s ban on all abortions is tantamount to an attack upon the Laws of Divine Establishment regarding the rights of an individual granted to him by God.
17. If a person has no truth in his soul, he will have no defense against his sin nature. If such a person is tempted toward being promiscuous, you would be very naïve to presume that you could pass a law banning abortion and somehow that would discourage that person from promiscuity. Just for starters there is as lot of ways to prevent pregnancy!
18. Most women involved in promiscuity have no intention of becoming pregnant and would not like to face an abortion which is both dangerous, expensive and traumatic.
19. Using the law in order to discourage promiscuity would be like using the law to prevent Christians from maligning each other. The law was designed to prevent crime, not such sins as fornication and adultery.
In honor of Veteran’s Day, let me quote from the booklet, ‘Freedom through Military Victory’ by R. B. Thieme Jr.
BELLIGERENT NATIONS WIELD MILITARY FORCE not to defend their sovereignty but to vanquish and enslave other nations. Is resistance to such aggression worth the price of young men marching to war? Each generation must decide. If a nation wishes to perpetuate as inviolate the priceless privileges and blessings of independence, warfare is inevitable. Every generation must face the crucible of war. Freedom is bought and paid for by the blood of individuals who set a higher value on their liberty than on life itself. If one generation is not prepared mentally and spiritually to defend such values, if enough individuals in a national entity reject the principle of freedom through military victory, liberty languishes.
The freedom the United States possesses has been purchased through the sacrifice and suffering of courageous men. We as a people have the right of self-determination because of military victory. We as Christians have the privilege to assemble in public worship services and to evangelize unbelievers without persecution courtesy of the military. Since 1776, we owe an immeasurable debt to all our gallant fighting forces, especially to those who gave their lives that we might remain a free people. To sustain our liberty the people of the United States of America must observe the laws of divine establishment.
We owe a tremendous debt to all of our veterans in the different branches of our military services. Without their tremendous willingness to sacrifice for our country, we would have no freedom. No freedom to live out our lives in freedom to fulfill our destinies; no freedom to assemble without persecution. We express our tremendous gratitude to all the veterans in the United States.
Romans Chapter 14
1-12: Application of privacy
13-17: Honor code application to controversy
18-23: Application of Honor Code to Royal Family interaction
The strong believer:
The strong believer is defined as that member of the royal family of God who is an advanced believer or has already attained spiritual maturity through maximum doctrine in his soul with correct norms and standards in his conscience. Once a believer becomes strong, there is a tendency to look down with contempt upon silly Christians with some legalistic views. This tendency must be prevented from being a reality in the advanced believer’s soul. If not, the advanced or even mature believer will decline spiritually.
The weak believer:
The weak believer must never be confused with the new believer. A new believer is not a weak believer necessarily, he is simply a baby, spiritually. The new believer is ignorant of doctrine because he was recently saved, but being interested in God’s word, he begins to learn the milk of the Word without holding any strong opinions. However, if this new believer has carried over legalism from his life as an unbeliever, then he may be categorized as a weak believer. The weak believer, generally is weak because he has rejected doctrine in the past, because he is indifferent and apathetic to doctrine. The weak believer is working for divine blessing outside of God’s power system. He is weak because he has neither doctrinal standards nor spiritual integrity developed only through experiential righteousness. The weak believer has abused grace and distorted the plan of God into licence on the one hand or self-righteousness and emotionalism on the other hand, both of which are wrong. The weak believer may desire to learn God’s Word. If so, he must be given the opportunity and privacy to do so.
The weak believer has a tendency to judge and malign the advanced believer. In this passage we will be dealing with the weak believer who does malign and judge the more advanced believer.
Romans 14:1. Now, receive that one who is weak in doctrine [the weak believer who as yet has not advanced spiritually], but not for the purpose of getting into quarrels about opinions [the non-essentials].
Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαµβάνεσθε, µὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισµῶν.
A few points for clarification:
1. The weak believer is an ignorant apostate. He has rejected Bible doctrine and has accepted that which is false. His norms and standards are not based on doctrine but based on his background, environment, academic training, or anything else that he has accepted as a substitute for the Word of God.
2. Some of the Roman believers had their background in Judaism and brought their legalistic background into the Christian way of life. Others had come out of the heathenism of the Roman empire and were reacting to heathenism and so had set up taboos against anything related to their background in heathenism.
3. Hence, many forms of controversy existed with regard to food, wine, and the observation of holy days. Some emphasized taboos about eating and drinking whereas others with doctrine disregarded these taboos as non-essentials which caused a great deal of controversy in the Roman Church. Some emphasized strict observance of the holy days. Others who had more doctrine made a different application namely regarding every day alike.
4. Even though these differences of opinion were non-essentials, they caused a great deal of trouble for without doctrine in the soul, differences of opinion produce strife and schisms. There is only one essential: does the believer use the Recovery Procedure and is he willing to learn the Word of God.
5. In the Roman Church, weak believers were arrogantly sponsoring their opinions regardless of doctrine and simultaneously violating the privacy of others who differed with them. So great was the controversy in Rome that Paul had to step in and resolve the problem.
More information on the Weak Believer:
1. The weak believer is both negative and ignorant of doctrine, though saved for years. His emphasis is on production or on some system of self-righteousness. He neither places emphasis on doctrine nor does he have toleration for Christians who are interested in doctrine. However, if he does accept the Recovery Procedure and is willing to learn under a qualified pastor, he will grow out of his legalism if given the opportunity.
2. The weak believer is a consistent violator of the Royal Family Honor code. His violations are simple: He rejects the privacy of the royal priesthood and sticks his nose into everyone else’s business; He tries to receive blessing from God through his production which he produces outside of God’s power system. Furthermore, he does not know the difference between personal and impersonal love.
3. The weak believer is both legalistic and critical of all who do not share his legalism. He is emotional, often mentally unstable, which makes it easier for him to become opinionated and dogmatic about the non-essentials. Again, I repeat that all of this can be corrected through spiritual growth.
4. The weak believer is ego-sensitive and from his hypersensitivity demands attention, and if he does not receive it, is easily frustrated. In this state of frustration, he is easily moved to self-pity.
5. The weak believer who refuses to use the Recovery Procedure and to grow spiritually, becomes arrogantly forceful about his personal opinions, and prejudices. Furthermore, through his legalism, he seeks to superimpose his false standards on other believers. This means that he becomes a meddlesome troublemaker, having no respect for authority in the local church, for doctrine, and no respect for the privacy of other believers.
Avoid quarrels with other believers:
1. All believers enter into the Christian way of life with preconceived opinions which are not compatible with the standards of Bible doctrine.
2. The strong believer is the advance or mature believer who is commanded to accept the weak believer who has opinions without doctrine and emphasizes the non-essentials instead of the essentials.
3. The strong believer must come to understand that the weak believer is entitled to the same privacy as he is.
4. Therefore, advanced believers including mature believers should not make an issue out of erroneous opinions and legalism of growing believers who will be corrected in due time by doctrine. If the weak believer refuses God’s plan, then the Lord will discipline him. So, stay out of the Lord’s way or you will lose your spiritual momentum and even receive the discipline that the Lord had intended for that weak believer.
5. Privacy of the priesthood gives each believer with his own brand of sins, his false doctrines, his erroneous and inaccurate opinions, the same opportunity to learn doctrine and to be corrected from the Word as you have.
6. This means that there is no place for dialogue in teaching doctrine. It also means that quarrels and debates are excluded from Christian fellowship by the royal family honor code.
7. The weak believer is legalistic, self-righteous, opinionated, ignorant of doctrine. He must learn doctrine to have the standards which are compatible with the Word of God and the plan of God. The strong believer has maximum knowledge of doctrine and is often tempted to correct or to bicker with the weak believer instead of permitting the normal course of Bible teaching to correct this weakness.
8. The weak believer may accept doctrinal teaching from the pulpit and use it in correcting his false opinions.
9. However, if a strong believer should try to correct those false opinions and taboos etc by intruding into the privacy of the weak believer, he may cause the weak person to react and leave the teaching of the Word.
10. Strong believers are tempted to intrude into the privacy of the weak and quarrel with him about his silly views. This verse says in effect, put the matter into the hands of the Lord. Doctrine must be taught from the pulpit for the benefit of all under the principle of the privacy of the priesthood. In this way the approach to doctrine is objective rather than subjective.
11. To debate regarding doctrinal issues creates an atmosphere of subjectivity without authority, and without the discipline of listening objectively to a message in a classroom. The weak believer being subjective will likely react to argumentation, even though the strong believer may be right. His reaction may take the form of antagonism toward the strong believer and he may even begin to put the advanced believer down by judging, maligning, or by creating false issues such as “You seem to know a lot of doctrine but your life stinks.”
Even though the Weak Believer has rejected doctrine in the past, he may want to change his course.
1. The weak are to be received, not for the purpose of judging their opinions but for the purpose of learning Bible doctrine.
2. The strong should not receive the weak for the purpose of bullying them nor for the purpose of intruding into their privacy, nor should the weak reciprocate by judging the strong.
3. In the congregation of the local church both strong and weak believers live side by side in the congregation for the purpose of reception of doctrine which is the only way to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Objectivity and academic discipline are destroyed by strife between the weak and the strong. Therefore, the pastor must control the congregation rather than the weak or strong believers dominating the congregation.
5. Not only must the pastor teach doctrine, but he must enforce that part of the honor code dealing with the privacy of the royal priesthood.
6. All believers have strong opinions from background inculcation and under the privacy of the priesthood these opinions must not be forced on others. The privacy of the priesthood demands the principle of live and let live.
Romans 14:2
On the one hand, he [the advanced believer] is convinced and holds the opinion that he may eat all things [food and beverage: flexibility based on the application of doctrine], on the other hand, that one [the weak believer] who is weak [the believer without doctrine] eats only vegetables [because he thinks that it is spiritually wrong for him to eat meat].
ὃς µὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει.
The mature believer is inflexible regarding the essentials of doctrine and has maximum doctrine in his soul, but regarding the non-essentials he is flexible, and therefore understands that he may eat all things. This conviction is based on application of doctrine learned as taught in a Bible class at a local church. It is the application of the believer who has become strong through consistent perception of doctrine. Hence, this is the view of the strong believer with regard to food and beverage taboos.
The weak believer minus metabolized doctrine in his soul is strong in his opinions, and quite inflexible. To him everything is black or white in life, and you either do it his way or he will put all kinds of pressure on you. The weak or reversionistic believer has strong opinions which run the gamut from being totally erroneous to innocuous.
The Legalistic Weak believer:
1. Both ascetic and legalistic reversionism (apostasy) is characterized by self-righteousness, and such a person may derive a certain righteous stimulation from not eating meat offered to idols, or not eating those things forbidden by the Levitical code of the Mosaic Law.
2. Without doctrine perceived and resident in the soul, the weak believer is victimized by legalism regarding various food and beverage taboos etc. He himself becomes his first victim.
3. Lack of doctrine in the soul means malfunction of the honor code and the superimposition of false standards on oneself first and on others later.
4. Superimposition on others is both bullying and a violation of the royal priesthood which is a basic tenet of the honor code.
5. The weak believer in refusing to eat meat has become a vegetarian on the basis of religious legalism and not dietary scruples. It is alright if he wants to be a vegetarian, but it is not correct if he wants to make all Christians, vegetarians.
6. To be a vegetarian for dietary reasons is not only permissible but there’s nothing wrong, immoral or evil about it, but to be a vegetarian for the purpose of gaining divine approbation is ridiculous. If you try to impose that on other believers you are not only wrong but are morally weak.
7. The subjective, self-righteous, hypersensitive and arrogant conscience of the weak believer possesses legalistic and reversionistic standards which are not the issue in either relationship with the Lord or fellowship with another believer.
8. In anticipation of the next verse, the weak believer or the reversionistic believer judges, maligns and criticizes the believer who does not share his standards and his taboos.
9. While Christian fellowship allows for both the privacy of the priesthood and differences of opinion, the weak believer becomes a bully seeking to impose his legalistic opinions on others.
10. Agreement on lifestyle or diet, or the observation of days, is not necessary for Christian fellowship and therefore the royal family honor code becomes essential in our association with other believers, as well as living one’s life as unto the Lord.
Romans 14:3
He who eats [everything namely the advanced believer] let him stop regarding with contempt that one who does not eat [everything namely the weak believer], furthermore he who does not eat [the weak believer] let him stop judging that one [the mature believer] who keeps on eating everything, for the God has admitted him into His friendship [the Greek word προσελάβετο taken from proslambano means to receive face to face as an expression for friendship].
ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν µὴ ἐσθίοντα µὴ ἐξουθενείτω, ὁ δὲ µὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα µὴ κρινέτω, ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο.
A few points for clarification:
1. The privacy of the royal priesthood is one of the basic tenets of the honor code, but only the believer who is advancing to maturity, or has attained maturity, actually fulfils the doctrine of the privacy of the priesthood and the accompanying imperative of the honor code which is love for the brethren. There is a great difference between the modus vivendi of the strong and weak believer based on adherence to or violation of the royal family honor code.
2. Because strife is engendered by both strong and weak believer in their clash of opinions it becomes necessary to point out the mental attitude failure of the strong believer and the verbal failure of the weak believer who is critical and wrong in judging the strong believer.
3. The occupational hazard of the mature believer is arrogance related to his superior knowledge of doctrine for he may regard with contempt the weak believer who is saturated with legalistic taboos or antinomian hang-ups.
4. The problem with both the strong and the weak believer in this verse is pride, but each has a different type of arrogance.
5. The arrogance of the strong believer is his superior knowledge of doctrine which impels him to regard with contempt the reversionistic legalist. However, the arrogance of the weak believer is his legalism, pride of accomplishment in the field of taboos.
The arrogance of these two categories developed more fully:
1. The occupational hazard and besetting sin of the weak believer is judging and bullying the mature believer.
2. The weak or legalistic believer is the worst bully in the world. He is self-righteous, arrogant, petty, implacable and inflexible.
3. The weak believer judges, maligns and vindictively criticizes the mature believer who must not lower himself to the legalistic standards of the weak believer by retaliation.
4. Arrogance motivates the weak believer to judge and bully the strong believer, while arrogance motivates the strong believer if he should react to his antagonist with contempt and snobbishness.
5. The last phrase in this sentence, “for the God has admitted him into friendship,” is technical, and it does not imply that Jesus is the friend of every believer. The reversionistic believer is said to be the enemy of the cross and the enemy of God though saved with a permanent relationship with God. Philippians 3:18, “For many [the majority of Christians] keep walking [out of fellowship with God] concerning whom I have told you many times, and now even weeping I tell you that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ.” However, the mature believer is the friend of God as per James 2:23, “And the Scripture [Genesis 15:6] was fulfilled which said, ‘Abram believed God [equivalent to the reasoning of the faith-rest drill as found in Hebrews 11:19], and it was evaluated to him for righteousness [Abraham reached the highest level of experiential righteousness when he passed this test on Mount Moriah]’, and he was called the friend of God”
6. The weak believer in this passage is a violator of the royal family honor code. He intrudes upon the privacy of the priesthood by judging, maligning, criticizing even the friends of God, the mature believers.
Romans 14:4
You, [the weak believer] who are you, the one who keeps judging a household slave belonging to another [in this case, any believer]? To his own Lord [the Lord Jesus Christ] he stands firm [advances under authority] or becomes a casualty [in his spiritual warfare]; in fact, he will hold his ground, for the Lord has the power to make him hold his ground.
σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει· σταθήσεται δέ, δυνατεῖ γὰρ ὁ κύριος στῆσαι αὐτόν.
The word for a household slave is in the feminine form. So, it indicates primarily a female household slave although, of course, it applies to the male as well.
A few points for clarification:
1. It was considered ill-manners and a breach of etiquette to criticize household slaves belonging to another person.
2. This custom of the ancient world was used by the apostle Paul under the ministry of the holy Spirit to illustrate a point of doctrine. Every believer in this context is a household slave, so no other believer has the right to malign, gossip, judge, or to be vindictively critical of another believer.
3. The legalistic apostate is a spiritual bully seeking to impose his inferior and evil standards in some cases on the grace-oriented mature believer.
4. If the advanced or mature believer should refuse to be bullied into legalism, the frustrated weak believer will then sometimes resort to retaliation and revenge tactics.
5. The specific violation is the rejection of the privacy of the royal priesthood under the principle of life: live and let live, which is both an establishment principle and a spiritual one.
6. Every believer is the Lord’s domestic slave. We are slaves in the household of the Lord forever. As household slaves, all believers are under the authority of the integrity of God, and God has not delegated that authority to the weak or the legalistic believer.
7. Therefore, the weak believer is presumptuous and blasphemous in his modus operandi of judging, maligning, and criticising another believer for that believer is not under his jurisdiction but the Lord’s.
8. The weak believer can only gain strength in his own eyes by discrediting the strong or mature believer, or bringing the strong believer under his direct control through legalistic bullying. The mature believer must not succumb to the bullying of the weak believer, and at the same time, he must not do anything which might distract the weak believer from doctrine.
9. Through judging, the weak believer weakens himself, and subjects himself to great discipline and punitive action from the integrity of God.
10. In conclusion, the honor code demands that we do not violate the privacy of household slaves who belong to another.
11. Essentially, love of the brethren is the recognition of the privacy of the priesthood whereby every believer is free to live his life as unto the Lord by the Lord’s standards.
12. Love of the brethren, then, is a total freedom from mental attitude sins which motivates to judge other believers, seeking to place them under the tyranny of legalism, false standards and non-essential mores.
13. It is arrogance to presume divine authority and then to judge another believer in the family of God; a household slave’s responsible is to the integrity of God and not to the whims of legalism.
14. Therefore, loving the brethren is not only freedom from mental attitude sins toward others but the resistance of temptation to judge, to malign, to criticize, to gossip about other believers.
15. Loving the brethren is the positive side of the honor code which in grace allows the privacy of the priesthood, adheres to the principle of live and let live, respects God’s righteousness in another believer.
A few points regarding the Strong (the advanced believer) versus the Weak.
1. It is noted from the previous verse that the nomenclature ‘strong’ is not unconditional praise and approbation nor is the word ‘weak’ unconditional reproach and condemnation.
2. Both strong and weak believers possess old sin natures and one way or another they will use them as long as they live.
3. Therefore, the difference between strong and weak is the amount of doctrine circulating in their stream of consciousnesses.
4. However, the strong and weak believers have different occupational hazards. The one in question in this verse belongs to the weak believer, who seeks to superimpose his weakness on strong believers making them weak.
5. The weak believer tries to make his weak standards the rule for all believers. If the weak believer had his way all strong believers would be as weak as he is, and then you would have equality!
6. When the weak believer encounters opposition from the strong, he assumes the role of judge and jury. He assumes this role since he arrogantly believes that his taboos and his legalism are what God intends for all believers.
7. Rather than attempting to misuse doctrine to judge other believers, we should use doctrine to tolerate other believers under the privacy of the royal priesthood and the principle of love under the royal family honor code. In other words, leave the judging to God.
8. The weak believer weakens his weakness by judging the strong believer. If the strong believer succumbs to this bullying, he also weakens his strength.
9. Believers become casualties in the spiritual life when they fail to stand-fast in doctrine. The Greek word pipto means to fall down or to become a casualty. Homer used this word to be slain in battle. This is a pictorial present tense in this verse which presents to the mind a picture of the believer becoming a casualty, falling in battle because of rejection of or indifference to Bible doctrine.
10. The Greek word histimi means ‘to hold one’s ground’ in preparation for an advance. The constative aorist gathers up into one entirety a succession of events relating to the advance of the believer.
“For the Lord has the power to make him stand fast [the Greek word histemi].” A typical use of this verb is found in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be on the alert, stand fast [the Greek word histemi] in the doctrine, act like men, be strong.”
1. In other words, the strong believer does not stand on the basis of criticism or legalism imposed by the weak believer.
2. No believer has the ability to cause another believer to hold his ground or to stand fast. You do not stand fast on the basis of other believers. If your Christian life depends on what other Christians think, then you are a weak sister and you are not ‘standing fast’. Furthermore, you are a weak sister if you go to other Christians for counsel instead of developing your own spiritual strength.
3. The strong believer understands his freedom in grace and uses it to learn doctrine and to advance to maturity.
4. Live and let live gives each believer the opportunity of living his life as unto the Lord who has the power to make him hold his ground or stand fast in his spiritual warfare.
Romans 14:5
For, on the one hand, this one [the weak believer] considers one day greater than another day, on the other hand, that one [the advanced or the mature believer] considers every day alike [as from the Lord]. Let each believer be fully convinced in his own mind.
ὃς µὲν [γὰρ] κρίνει ἡµέραν παρ’ ἡµέραν, ὃς δὲ κρίνει πᾶσαν ἡµέραν· ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοῒ πληροφορείσθω.
1. Obviously to the believer who is inculcated with doctrine, every day is a gracious gift from the Lord—Ephesians 5:16, “Keep on redeeming [purchasing] the time [the time allotted to each believer], because the days are evil [The Church Age is a time of concentrated evil].
2. The only opportunity for glorifying God in time is related to the number of days each one of us is given after salvation.
3. God provides the capital to make each day count through the principle of logistical grace—up to maturity, then after that, God provides the greater grace provision of Escrow Blessings.
4. There are no special days in the sense that you must observe them to be spiritual, to grow up, or to gain blessing from God. While Sunday, the first day of the week, has been set aside as a special assembly day in the Church age, it is actually no holier than any other day which the Lord has given to the believer.
5. Controversy over the observation of days obviously has existed and will exist all the way to the Rapture, but the controversy is not who is right and who is wrong but who is weak and who is strong.
Controversy related to Ignorance
1. The controversy exists between ignorance and cognizance.
2. Ignorance of doctrine makes the believer weak; knowledge of doctrine integrated into the norms of the conscience makes the believer strong.
3. The weak believer falls back on his own background, which in this case is the background of legalism.
4. The strong believer, whatever his former background, is fully briefed in the plan of God and regards each day in the context of the plan of God.
5. Consistency in learning doctrine means consistency of living. Each day is to be lived as unto the Lord.
“Let each believer be fully convinced in his own mind”
1. This is a command to learn Bible doctrine, to learn doctrine as a means of resolving all controversial issues in life.
2. This verse commands that the believer become spiritually self-sustaining through knowledge of doctrine.
3. Inevitably where believers gather there are different viewpoints over different things. Controversies over taboos and over legalistic matters cannot be resolved apart from knowledge of doctrine.
4. No one can change the mind of a legalistic believer. In fact, no one should try.
5. Because of varying stages of growth in the royal family, varying standards of application are permitted. These varying standards are applications relative to one’s spiritual growth, one’s cognizance of doctrine or ignorance of it.
6. Growing up spiritually requires a lot of patience and tolerance so that doctrine remains the issue.
7. The weak believer cannot become strong through false standards, but only as his false standards are corrected by Bible doctrine which he must be willing to learn.
8. The norms and standards of the Christian life are not determined by legalistic taboos or the observation of holy days but by the inculcation of doctrine through the daily perception of it.
Romans 14:6
He who observes the day [the strong believer] observes it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to the God [the Father]; in fact, he who does not eat [for example meat; the immature believer with his taboos] with reference to the Lord, he does not eat [according to Biblical standards], and he gives thanks to the God [the Father].
ὁ φρονῶν τὴν ἡµέραν κυρίῳ φρονεῖ· καὶ ὁ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ ἐσθίει, εὐχαριστεῖ γὰρ τῷ θεῷ· καὶ ὁ µὴ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ οὐκ ἐσθίει, καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ θεῷ.
A few points for clarification:
1. At this point we are dealing with an immature believer who is positive toward Bible doctrine and not involved in some form of reversionism. He just simply hasn’t been exposed long enough to learn certain things which would change his mental attitude and change his norms and standards regarding food and drink.
2. While the immature believer has enough doctrine to be grateful to the Lord and to have thanksgiving toward God the Father, he does not understand that food is not an issue in the spiritual life.
3. This food principle also applies to wine and alcoholic beverage. While the Bible permits the drinking of alcoholic beverage, alcoholic beverage has several great problems. One of them is the person who has no self-discipline, no self-control, and has no authority orientation to life, and inevitably, he becomes the town drunk.
4. The mature believer must not regard with contempt the standard of the immature believer who only drinks water and eats vegetables nor should the immature believer judge the mature believer who drinks wine and eats meat. There is room for different standards under the privacy of the priesthood which is the central part of the honor code. These things must be observed so that each believer can develop his norms and standards from the perception of Bible doctrine. So, every royal priest has the right to privacy and conviction which is compatible with his personal stage of growth. One believer cannot adopt the standards of a more mature believer without doctrine first, but if he is simply copying someone else, he will become weaker since he would be violating his conscience.
5. The immature believer in the privacy of his priesthood, living his life as unto the Lord and observing certain food taboos which are related to his background and standards of conscience, is not going to be right many times. But then, when were any of us ever right all of the time.
6. Here is an ascetic who refrains from drinking wine or eating meat, but he does this as unto the Lord. In other words, we have to say he is sincere in what he is doing. In his sincerity he associates it with the Lord. (We know, of course, that sincerity is not a virtue and that knowledge of doctrine is a virtue) He is sincere and does think that his norms and standards are correct regarding food and drink, and there is no reason for you to tell him he isn’t. If you refrain from telling him, he will hear doctrine along the way and make the proper applications with stable normal growth, instead of being bullied into a course of action to which later he may react.
7. As long as the weak believer does not assume that his observation of a taboo or ascetic function is spirituality or a means of blessing from God, he is in no danger of reversionism.
8. For the weak believer to assume that any taboo or the observation of a holy day is spiritual or an advance to maturity is, of course, apostasy. While it is apostasy and incompatible with the Word, it can be straightened out by doctrine if he will just continue in doctrine. Therefore. while he is wrong in his thinking, he must be permitted to continue in doctrine without making an issue over this non-essential.
9. The key to understanding this verse is the giving of thanks to God. That means that these believers are living their lives as unto the Lord, regardless of the amount of doctrine they possess in their souls.
10. The command to love the brethren includes not only respect for divine righteousness imputed and resident in another believer but also tolerance through taking cognizance of spiritual growth.
11. The first lesson in spiritual sensitivity is to realize that no two believers have attained the same stage of spiritual growth and have exactly the same amount of doctrine resident in the soul.
12. The privacy of the royal priesthood guarantees that immature believers can have erroneous standards through ignorance of doctrine and not be ostracized or regarded with contempt by those who are mature believers who have the correct doctrine and the correct application.
13. It is important to remember that none of us in this life are perfect and none of us will ever be perfect in this life. Just as we are at different stages of growth, we also have different failures and weaknesses, and the issue is not what failures or weaknesses that we have but the importance of taking in Bible doctrine.
14. The privacy of the priesthood allows for variation and application without hindering objectivity in perception and correction of false standards by continued perception of the Word.
15. The royal family honor code demands that every believer positive toward doctrine be tolerated within the framework of his maintained privacy so that he can objectively assimilate doctrine taught in the local church. However, if such a believer is negative toward doctrine and destroys his own privacy by persisting in judging, maligning, gossiping about other believers, then this believer must be removed from the congregation.
16. When a believer rejects essential doctrine then he must be separated from the congregation of the orthodox believers. By essential doctrine is meant such things as the deity of Christ, the true impeccable humanity of Christ, the hypostatic union, salvation through faith in Christ, the doctrine of eternal security, etc.
17. There can be no variation in the essential doctrine, but there can exist many variations in the non-essentials.
18. The royal family honor code binds the strong and the weak believer together in a mutual system of advancing to maturity, advancing in the plan of God in such a manner as to overshadow the differences of opinions between us in the area of non-essentials.
19. You can be wrong about doctrine due to ignorance which is one thing, but if you are indifferent to inaccurate doctrine, then this is another thing and cannot be tolerated. In other words, you aren’t going to be tolerated for example if you are in the tongues-movement.
20. Learn to distinguish between absolute doctrine and the variation of application. Variations of growth and different stages of ignorance do not change the absolute truth of Bible doctrine.
21. This is illustrated by the two controversies in context: the food taboos and the observation of holy days. Principle: Two Christians can believe in the deity of Christ, which is an absolute, and yet differ in their attitude toward diet and holy days. Two Christians can accept the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit which unites them in the body of Christ, yet differ in their attitude toward food taboos and holy days. Two Christians can subscribe to the pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church, yet differ in their attitude toward food taboos and holy days. This is the difference between essential doctrine and non-essential application.
Romans 14:7
For not one of us lives for himself [we live our lives to please the Lord], and no one dies to himself [God has a plan for our living and dying].
οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἡµῶν ἑαυτῷ ζῇ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἑαυτῷ ἀποθνῄσκει·
Gathering together, everything that we have learned, we have come to understand that in the body of Christ there is relationship, and interaction and yet there is the need to maintain the high standards of the royal family honor code. In many ways and in many things, we differ, and yet we are bound together not only by such doctrines as the Baptism of the Spirit, spiritual gifts, and the imputation of divine righteousness, but we are also bound together in our differences of spiritual growth, and in the difference of content of doctrine in the soul. This demands that those who have grown up, tolerate the weak and demands that the weak not judge the strong.
God has a plan for the life of every believer living and therefore, life has meaning and purpose for each one of us. The believer must no longer live his life for his own personal interest or his own personal self-gratification as such, but he lives his life as unto the Lord. However, it is impossible to live your life as unto the Lord unless you understand that you are connected with other people who are living their lives as unto the Lord.
Romans 14:8
For just as when we live [depends upon the sovereignty of God], we live to the Lord [the advancing and mature believer]; so, also when we die, we die to the Lord [under dying grace], so not only if we live, but also if we die, we are the Lord's.
ἐάν τε γὰρ ζῶµεν, τῷ κυρίῳ ζῶµεν, ἐάν τε ἀποθνῄσκωµεν, τῷ κυρίῳ ἀποθνῄσκοµεν. ἐάν τε οὖν ζῶµεν ἐάν τε ἀποθνῄσκωµεν, τοῦ κυρίου ἐσµέν.
Dying Grace:
1. Dying grace is defined as the death of the mature believer. It is the experience of physical death under a special provision of grace, whereby the believer involved experiences both blessing and happiness while dying. Since dying grace is the extension of living grace, it should glorify God. If you glorify God in living grace, then you will glorify God in dying grace.
2. Dying grace can occur regardless of the amount of pain and suffering while dying. There could be maximum pain or minimum pain, but in either case there is maximum happiness and soul stimulation.
3. Dying grace removes the fear of death, Psalm 23:4, “Also when I [David as a mature believer] walk through the death-shadowed valley [of dying grace], I cannot fear evil [adversity] since you are with me [reciprocal love: God loved David; David loved God]; Your rod [divine discipline] and your staff [undeserved suffering for spiritual momentum] they comfort me.” Each believer will enter his own valley of death. In eternity past God designed a different valley for each believer. For some believers, the valley is very short, but for others the valley is very long with many turns (not straight). If the believer learns the Word of God and develops a wonderful relationship with the members of the God-head, he will have the greatest possible happiness as he goes through the valley that God has designed for him.
4. Dying grace is the greatest blessing which comes at the termination of one's life. It is the bridge which takes the believer from time to eternity. Hebrews 11:13, “All of these [mentioned in the Hall of Fame] died in conformity with [on the basis of] faith [Faith Rest Drill] not having received the promises [rewards based on resurrection], but having seen them [seen their rewards in their souls] from a distance [looking into eternity because they lived by principle], and having saluted and embraced them [their final faith rest drill as they departed from this life], also having acknowledged that they were strangers [because of fellowship with God] and transients on the earth [passing through on the road of glory].”
5. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul states his happiness as he was facing death, “I have fought that honorable fight [advanced through the stages of spiritual growth], I have finished the course [attained maturity and passed Evidence Testing], I have guarded the doctrine [as first priority in the soul]. (8) In the future a wreath of righteousness [as part of his Escrow Blessings for eternity] is reserved for me [on deposit since eternity past], which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day [at the Judgment seat of Christ] and not only to me but to all those who love His appearing [mature believers].”
6. The perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine is the only way to reach and maintain spiritual maturity and to receive dying grace blessings, Phil 3:12-14, “Not that I have already received it [spiritual maturity in retrospection] or that I have already accomplished it [having taken Evidence Testing], but I keep advancing toward [on pursuing] the objective in order that I also may truly understand that purpose [understand and execute the spiritual life completely] for which I also was truly understood by Christ Jesus [in eternity past]. (13) Brethren, I do not evaluate myself [objective evaluation from the mirror in his soul] as having obtained the objective [had not yet taken Evidence Testing], but one thing I concentrate on disregarding those things which are behind [failures and successes] while I keep sprinting toward the finish line. (14) I keep advancing toward the objective for the winner's prize of the upward calling from the source of God in Christ Jesus.” You, must press on, maintain your momentum, and advance to the objective for the purpose of reward.
7. Logistical provision while living: Job 5:19-27, "From six disasters, He will deliver you; even in seven, evil will not touch you [brush by you]. (20) In famine [in economic depression], He will redeem [purchase your life which guarantees your survival] you from death, and in war from the power of the sword [you will not die in battle]. (21) You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue [social disaster: Job will be protected from his friends who were scourging him with their tongues], and you will not be afraid of violent death [a horrible death] when it comes. (22) You will laugh [from a relaxed sense of humor] at death and famine [economic depression], and from the wild animals of the earth [the source of violent death: today this would be airplanes, automobiles, conventional weapons, terrorism and nuclear weapons], you have nothing to fear, (23) for you will have a contract with the stones [bullets and mortar rounds etc.] of the battlefield, and the wild animals of the field will be at peace with you [no instrument of death can remove the believer until the Lord is ready to take him home]. (24) You will know that your tent [human body] is secure, and you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. (25) You will know also that your descendants will be many [This does not mean that you will have a lot of children nor that you should; rather it is an idiom for prosperity], and your offspring as the grass of the earth [human life will continue on the earth just as grass may die, but it always springs up]. (26) You will come to the grave in full vigor [God removes the believer at the right time] like shock of corn in its season [there is a right time and a wrong time to pick corn and only the expert knows. Regarding our life, God is the expert regarding the timing of our death]. (27) Behold this, we have investigated it, and so it is [This is the gist of it]. Hear it, and apply it to yourself." This passage written as early as 2000 B.C. teaches that the mature believer has no fear of death nor anything dangerous in life.
8. No believer dies until the Lord says it's time to come home. Once God calls a believer home, nothing can keep him here. The living must go on living while the dying are dying. A person in dying grace never hinders others from continuing their living. God is the expert and He decides when is the perfect time for each of us to depart from the earth. God's time is the best time.
A few points related to this subject:
1. The capacity for dying results from the development of spiritual capacity in executing God’s plan while in the living phase. Spiritual capacity for life and dying is attained through the three spiritual skills namely the Filling of the Holy Spirit, metabolization of doctrine, and execution of the Protocol Plan of God through the use of the Ten Problem-Solving Devices. Capacity for living becomes capacity for dying. If you have capacity for life, then you will have that capacity for dying.
2. Spiritual capacity from God’s plan is the basis for grace blessing in living and grace blessing in dying. This is what is meant by Philippians 1:21, "As for me, living--Christ, dying--profit." To the contrary the believer who does not execute God’s plan fears death.
3. In the divine initiative of grace, our shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, has provided two categories of fantastic blessing on this earth: the blessing related to living and the blessing related to dying. Living grace is related to the function of the spiritual skills, the application of metabolized doctrine to experience, but dying grace is walking through a death- shadowed valley under perfect divine provision. You apply doctrine in the living phase; you apply it with even a greater intensity in the dying phase.
4. The death of the believer is God’s decision. This means that God decides the time, the manner, and the place of our death. The dying and death of every believer is the grace decision, wise decision, loving decision, fair decision of the sovereignty of God. God is perfect; therefore, his timing is perfect regarding our death. Because of this, God knows the exact right time to transfer the believer from this veil of tears into His presence in heaven, so that no believer can be removed from this life apart from the wise and sovereign decision of a loving God. Until God makes that decision, no instrument of death can remove the believer from this life on earth. Since our death is God's personal decision, it is also God's victory, but He has transferred that victory to us. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, "O death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin [Adam’s Original Sin imputed at birth] and the power of sin is the Law, but thanks be to God, who gives to us for our benefit the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Psalm 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Dying grace is an extension of living grace. The spiritual life must continue in dying [for the mature believer]. Our life and our death belong to the Lord. He determines the time, manner, and place of our death [for all believers]. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, "There is a right time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted."
Romans 14:9
You see for this reason Christ died [The constative aorist tense takes the two deaths and burial of Christ and gathers them up into one entirety.] and lived [This is the culminative aorist tense of zao which views the resurrection of Christ in its entirety but emphasizes the existing results, namely the ascension and session of Jesus Christ], in order that He might be Lord over both the dead [Christians who have already departed from this earth] and the living [still on this earth].
εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἔζησεν ἵνα καὶ νεκρῶν καὶ ζώντων κυριεύσῃ.
A Review of Christ’s Work on the Cross:
The Substitutionary Spiritual Death of Christ on the Cross:
1. Though Jesus Christ was in hypostatic union on the cross, only His humanity was punished for our sins.
2. Jesus Christ remained in the status of trichotomy on the cross as proven by his unique death namely his human spirit went into the care of God the Father, his soul went with God the Holy Spirit to Hades and his body remained in the grave.
3. Jesus personally never died a spiritual death, rather he bore the burden of mankind’s spiritual death on the cross namely He was punished for the penalty of the sins of all mankind. In other words, Jesus died a substitutionary spiritual death while forsaken by the Father during the judgment. On the other hand, Adam suffered a real spiritual death as also his progeny at birth.
4. So, Jesus’ substitutionary spiritual death means that He died as a substitute for the sins related to our spiritual death namely the billions of sins which were committed in addition to Adam’s original sin. In other words, he paid the penalty for our sins in toto.
5. Jesus Christ was portrayed as a male lamb unblemished and spotless (no sin nature and no personal sins) 1 Peter 1:18-19, “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Jesus remained impeccable while being judged for the sins of the world. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he [God the Father] made him who knew no sin [remained impeccable both before the cross and on the cross] to become a sin offering [The Greek word can be translated sin offering: received the responsibility for and the judgment of all the sins of the world] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God [the Father] by Him [by the work of Christ on the cross].”
6. Jesus Christ was not a curse, but became a curse as per Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law having become a curse for us, for it is written ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’”
7. Hebrews 12:2, “Be concentrating on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our doctrine, who because of the happiness that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame [from being identified with all these despicable sins], and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just as Jesus endured under great pressure, not reacting in bitterness, hatred, and self-pity, so we must endure under great pressure in order to achieve and preserve happiness. There is no happiness without the ability to endure under pressure.
8. The omnipotence of the Father imputed all the sins of mankind to Jesus during the last three hours on the cross, and the Justice of the Father using his omnipotence then judged the humanity of Christ on the cross, while the deity of Christ was sustaining the universe.
9. Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour [3 P.M.] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” translated [from the Aramaic into Greek], “My God, my God [addressing God the Father], why have you [in the singular] forsaken [abandoned] me?” David prophesizes the shout in Psalm 22:1a, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me far from helping Me.” This was answered in Psalm 22:3a, “because you [Father] are holy [righteous and just].” The Father had to judge Jesus for every sin of mankind. Judgment implies abandonment and forsaking. There was no help nor fellowship during this judgment on the cross. So, this shout was prophesied in Hebrew (Psalm 22); shouted out in Aramaic and translated into Greek (Matthew 27:46).
10. Jesus understood why he had to be forsaken but shouted out this rhetorical question for our benefit. It was a Rhetorical question which had already been answered in Scripture as per Psalm 22:3a namely because the integrity of God demanded the punishment of all sins of mankind via a perfect sacrifice.
11. During the lifetime of the humanity of Christ, he was never forsaken by God the Holy Spirit whether it be before the cross or on the cross. The Holy Spirit always provided the enabling power for Jesus to execute the Father’s will during his entire life on this earth. So, from His birth to His physical death on the cross, He always had available and used the two power options namely the metabolized doctrine in his soul and the enabling power of the Spirit.
12. In this way, Jesus Christ demonstrated the power of the Proto-type Spiritual Life. This spiritual life called the Operational Type Spiritual Life, he gave to each Church Age believer.
13. Why was there a need for a substitutionary spiritual death? Adam and his wife suffered a real spiritual death when they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This involved the loss of their human spirit and acquisition of a sin nature. Hence, since the sin nature is part of the makeup of cellular genetics, all Adam’s descendance are born with the sin nature within their cells and with the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin imputed to that sin nature at birth. This means that all of mankind is helplessly located in the slave market of sin. This required someone outside of the slave market of sin to provide a ransom to free mankind. Thus, the need for an impeccable person to pay the penalty of every sin of mankind. This we call the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross.
14. R. B. Thieme Jr. first taught this doctrine in 1986 during the teaching of the Ephesian series, a doctrine which has been buried for over 1500 years and is still unknown by most Christians since it is not known and subsequently not taught by any professor in any major theological seminary today.
A few points for clarification: “Lord over both the dead and the living”
1. Every believer, living or dead, belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of positional truth, retroactive and current, Christ is Lord of every believer from salvation to eternity.
2. Therefore, the royal family honor code recognizes only one Lord, one absolute authority. Since every believer belongs to the Lord, he is not ever to superimpose his norms, his standards, his background, his environment, his personal prejudice on the Lord or those who belong to the Lord namely other believers.
3. This anticipates the judging which occurs in the next verse. When you judge other believers by trying to superimpose your standards on them you are, in effect, judging the Lord because you are judging a believer who is in union with Christ.
4. Through Bible doctrine, the Lord imposes on each royal priest certain standing orders which are to be obeyed for example not to violate the privacy of others.
5. Since Christ is the Lord of the living, it follows that believers have no right to superimpose their personal standards of legalism, taboos, pseudo spirituality, on other members of the royal family of God.
6. The honor code of the royal family demands the privacy of every believer to live his life as unto the Lord, and not to other believers. God has delegated the content of the Word of God, called doctrine, to be the basis for living our lives as to the Lord. So, no believer has the right to superimpose his own norms and standards as a substitute for doctrine and the application of doctrine.
7. The weak believer judges the strong believer; the strong believer despises the weak believer. Both attitudes are wrong for they interfere with the privacy of the priesthood. Therefore, the Lordship of Christ must be applied as the solution when reciprocal antagonism exists.
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].
σὺ δὲ τί κρίνεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; ἢ καὶ σὺ τί ἐξουθενεῖς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; πάντες γὰρ παραστησόµεθα τῷ βήµατι τοῦ θεοῦ·
The Strong believer has a Crisis Personality:
1. The crisis personality is the mature believer who is totally oriented to reality. He has common sense which is the ability to reason from the facts of a situation, the ability to think correctly in any pressure-situation. The crisis personality can cope with any disaster of life, personal or historical.
2. The crisis personality, therefore, is the mature believer who is inflexible regarding the essentials and flexible regarding the non-essentials.
3. It is this flexibility regarding the non-essentials which provides orientation to life. All high priorities are assigned to the essentials. Therefore, the crisis personality combines inflexibility regarding essentials with flexibility regarding the non-essentials.
4. The crisis personality does not follow any set pattern or mould overtly but is always characterised by maximum doctrine resident in the soul which doctrine he applies wisely to the situation.
5. A historical or personal crisis gives the strong believer the opportunity to apply doctrine to the reality of the situation, demonstrating the total adequacy of divine provision for the believer in life. The imputation of divine blessing to the mature believer includes undeserved suffering which demonstrates the dynamics of Bible doctrine resident in the soul and labels the strong believer as the crisis personality.
The Evaluation Platform of Christ after the Rapture:
1. Every believer is a royal priest and represents himself before God. After the Rapture of the Church, he will have to give an account to the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Each one of us must stand before the Judgment Seat [Evaluation Platform] of Christ alone. Just as we have to learn how to live our own lives and how to die alone, so we will stand alone in resurrection body before the Lord Jesus Christ and give an account of ourselves to Him.
3. You are responsible for your own decisions. Ignorance is no excuse before the Judgment Seat of Christ. You must give an account for your own thoughts, motives, actions, and decisions. You cannot blame anyone else at the Judgment Seat of Christ for you yourself will be evaluated, judged by Jesus Christ whose evaluation of the believer will be perfect. So, why should any believer judge another when that judgment is imperfect.
4. Do not try to evaluate the work or life or function of another believer. This is the prerogative of Jesus Christ both now and after the Rapture.
5. Each believer must live his own life as to the Lord and avoid meddling in the affairs of another believer.
6. The life of every believer will be evaluated by the Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of destroying human good and rewarding the advance to maturity.
7. The judgment seat of Christ never implies loss of salvation but only evaluation of your life after salvation.
Romans 14:11
For it stands written, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow to Me and every tongue will acknowledge to God [that Christ is Lord].’
γέγραπται γάρ, Ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει κύριος, ὅτι ἐµοὶ κάµψει πᾶν γόνυ, καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξοµολογήσεται τῷ θεῷ.
Immediately following the Rapture, the Great Genuflect will occur.
Philippians 2:9-11, “Therefore also, God [Father] has exalted Him [the humanity of Christ] to the maximum, in fact, He has given Him a royal title which is superior to every royal title. (10) That in the presence of the person of Christ, every knee in heaven shall bow, both the ones on earth [believers alive at the Rapture] and the ones under the earth [Church Age believers who have died before the Rapture]. (11) And every tongue [all Church Age believers] will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus Christ becomes our Lord at salvation when we are entered into union with Him. But we do not recognize this unless we advance to spiritual maturity. During our lifetime, the Lordship of Christ is really a matter of our priorities. If Bible doctrine is number one in our life, then Jesus Christ will have the highest priority as our Lord, for Bible doctrine is the thinking of Christ. If He is not first, then we will become losers and will not recognize Jesus Christ as Lord until we are in resurrection bodies.
14:12. Therefore, each one of us [Church Age believers] shall give an account of himself to God.
ἄρα [οὖν] ἕκαστος ἡµῶν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει τῷ θεῷ.
A few points for clarification:
1. The conflict and strife over non-essential opinions is ridiculous. There are so many things in life that are not essential, and doctrine is essential. We should be inflexible not only about doctrine but about our intake of doctrine, and flexible regarding other inconsequential matters.
2. Paul in his dissertation makes his point that no two believers have achieved the same stage of spiritual growth and that the only way they can advance is through doctrine.
3. The ability to distinguish between what is essential and what is non-essential, and to function professionally as a member of the aristocracy of the royal family is most important.
4. Each stage of spiritual growth has its own occupational hazards. For the immature, it may emphasize judging others; for the mature it may emphasize intolerance of others. However, both the mature and immature believer should clearly keep in mind that they will be evaluated by the Lord Jesus Christ immediately after the Rapture of the Church.
Romans 14:13
Therefore, let us no longer judge one another but rather determine this: not to place an obstacle or a distraction in front of a fellow believer.”
Μηκέτι οὖν ἀλλήλους κρίνωµεν· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο κρίνατε µᾶλλον, τὸ µὴ τιθέναι πρόσκοµµα τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἢ σκάνδαλον.
A few points for clarification:
1. Judging is the occupational hazard of the weak believer who measures all believers by his own inadequacies and weaknesses.
2. The weak believer is ignorant of doctrine. Therefore, his norms and standards are formed from his background, his environment, training, and human influence.
3. With false or erroneous norms and standards, it is impossible for the weak believer to be accurate or correct in his evaluation of anyone or anything.
4. Judging is a violation of the privacy of the royal priesthood, and therefore judging is classified as arrogant presumption.
5. Judging combines mental attitude sins with sins of the tongue, and often overt sins as well so that judging becomes a combination of all categories of sinfulness from the old sin nature. Furthermore, judging should never be rationalized as some form of good.
6. Judging is totally incompatible with the plan of God for your life, and therefore, if continued, could destroy your spiritual life.
7. God Himself has a monopoly on judging and has only delegated this option to Bible doctrine, the communicator of Bible doctrine, and to the systems of authority under divine establishment such as the husband over the wife, parents over the children, teacher over students, coach over the team, the boss over labor etc. These are all systems of delegated authority.
Different commands for different stages of growth:
1. In this verse, there are two different commands to two different categories of believers: the weak believer and the strong believer. The strong believer has been positive toward doctrine and has cracked the maturity barrier or is close to it. The weak believer can be either a new believer who is still ignorant of doctrine but positive or a person who is negative toward doctrine and reversionistic. The weak and the strong believers must both have the same opportunity in the sense of freedom to take in doctrine without distraction.
2. There is a second command to the strong believer in this verse namely to be sensitive and thoughtful where others are concerned, to be aware that other people have feelings; to be sensitive to the situation and to the circumstances of the weak believer whose ignorance of doctrine results in numerous non-essential opinions and judgments. As you begin to grow spiritually you become aware of the feelings of other people and you make their feelings much more important than your own.
3. A weak believer must recognize the privacy of a strong believer, while the strong believer must demonstrate impersonal love and tolerance toward the weak believer. In this way, both the weak and the strong believer conform to the royal family honor code.
4. The honor code demands modus operandi and policy for all categories of believers in all stages of spiritual growth. The honor code has policy for all stages of growth so that in any stage we are not distracted from doctrine and are given freedom and privacy, and therefore opportunity, to utilize doctrine in our own spiritual advance.
5. The more you advance spiritually, the greater becomes your responsibility under the honor code. In other words, there will be times when the law of love supersedes the law of liberty.
6. While sincerity is not a Christian virtue but an emotional aberration, thoughtfulness of others and sensitivity to the feelings of others is not only a Christian virtue but a necessity.
7. The more we advance in the Christian life the more inflexible we are about doctrine but the more flexible we are in its application.
8. Wisdom from doctrine and common sense from establishment provides inflexible standards of conscience, but at the same time pliable and tractable functions of application.
Romans 14:14
I [Paul, representing the mature believer] know and have received confidence in the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing [a reference to food or beverage] unclean by means of itself [a statement of total flexibility regarding the non-essentials], except to that one [the weak believer] who presumes something to be unclean; to that one, it is unclean.
οἶδα καὶ πέπεισµαι ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ ὅτι οὐδὲν κοινὸν δι’ ἑαυτοῦ· εἰ µὴ τῷ λογιζοµένῳ τι κοινὸν εἶναι, ἐκείνῳ κοινόν.
Paul is a mature believer and he takes the position of a mature believer which is to be totally flexible regarding the non-essentials. Paul understood well that under the Mosaic Law certain foods were taboo. Therefore, to eat them was to be ceremonially unclean. However, in the dispensation of the Church the norms and standards are based on doctrinal standards which makes all foods clean. By application, this applies to not only food but also to holy days, and to other non-essentials.
A few points for clarification:
1. Food is not unclean by means of itself. However, it can become unclean if it is improperly prepared, or become contaminated by improper storage.
2. The strong believer with norms and standards based on Bible doctrine can therefore approach food and beverage apart from either the Levitical prohibition or ascetic taboos.
3. Therefore, the mature believer can eat beef because his norms and standards of conscience can make correct application from doctrine resident in his soul. The Hindu, on the other hand, would starve to death if all he had was beef to eat.
4. Bible doctrine resident in the soul changes the norms and standards of conscience. Once you have a doctrinal basis in your conscience this changes the application so that you have more flexibility in the non-essentials. You do not have flexibility in the non-essentials until you have doctrine first.
5. So, whether food has been forbidden by the Mosaic law, or food offered to idols becomes a taboo of religion, the food itself is not unclean for consumption unless it has been contaminated.
6. The strong or mature believer knows that of itself food is not unclean. Therefore, the mature believer has a wide range of nourishing foods and beverages from which to choose. The weak believer, on the other hand, is both limited and stymied by a weak conscience and inflexibility about the non-essentials.
7. The weak conscience has no capacity for life, no capacity for what God has provided to enrich life. Lack of doctrine in the soul has the tendency to destroy all the capacities of life and enslave the believer with the shackles of a weak conscience.
Romans 14:15
For if because of food, your brother [the weak believer] is distracted and he is [by your eating certain meat etc.], you no longer walk according to [impersonal] love. Because of that food, stop destroying him [the weak believer] on behalf of whom Christ died.
εἰ γὰρ διὰ βρῶµα ὁ ἀδελφός σου λυπεῖται, οὐκέτι κατὰ ἀγάπην περιπατεῖς. µὴ τῷ βρώµατί σου ἐκεῖνον ἀπόλλυε ὑπὲρ οὗ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν.
The weak believer is wrong about his views on the non-essentials. The strong believer enters into failure when he tries to correct the weak believer’s attitude toward the non-essential and is also wrong when he deliberately arouses reaction in the weak believer. For example, the weak believer may think that it is sinful to have a glass of wine. So, the strong believer orders a glass of wine and drinks it in front of the weak believer. In such a case, the strong believer would be completely out of line for the strong believer should not flaunt his liberty or freedom in front of those who are weak. Two wrongs do not make a right namely the weak is wrong in his taboos and the strong believer is wrong in making an issue out of it.
Romans 14:16
Therefore, your good [the intrinsic good of advanced believer] must not be slandered. [His good is slandered when he does not use the law of love in lieu of the law of liberty.]
µὴ βλασφηµείσθω οὖν ὑµῶν τὸ ἀγαθόν.
A few points for clarification:
1. The strong/mature believer is inflexible in his doctrine but is very flexible in his application of doctrine.
2. Normally, the strong believer functions under the Law of Liberty which is his privacy, his freedom, the normal modus vivendi of the mature believer.
3. Under freedom and privacy the mature believer has been liberated from legalistic taboos of the weak believer. Therefore, his lifestyle reflects this freedom.
4. For this reason the mature believer is often misunderstood by the weak. He is slandered, maligned, and is often the object of vindictive criticism by the implacable, weak believer.
5. Therefore, the strong believer must set aside his freedoms in certain cases in order to make an issue out of doctrine rather than his personal modus operandi. However, if the issue relates to the legalism of an apostate believer or unbeliever, then the strong believer must stand fast in his liberty, as per Galatians 5:1, “In the sphere of freedom, Christ has freed us; therefore, stand firm [by functioning under the two power options] and stop being enmeshed again by the yoke of slavery [don’t be bullied into legalism by the weak].”
Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not eating and not drinking [alcoholic beverage], but righteousness [imputed at salvation] and resultant prosperity [Escrow Blessing imputed at maturity], and happiness by means of the Holy Spirit.
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις, ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ χαρὰ ἐν πνεύµατι ἁγίῳ·
The explanatory postpositive Greek conjunctive particle gar means it is time to draw a conclusion. When we believed in Christ, we became instant aristocracy, and the kingdom of God here is a reference to that aristocracy as part of a spiritual kingdom. Since we are a part of a spiritual kingdom, we operate on spiritual food to nourish our spiritual souls; our souls are not nourished by physical food and beverage.
Since eating and drinking do not sustain the soul, they are not an issue in the spiritual life other than to keep one alive. You may consume 100 pounds of processed sugar per year (30 teaspoons per day) and be one of the greatest believers in the world. On the other hand, you may eat very nutritionally and may even fortify that food with all the necessary minerals including the trace minerals, vitamins, aminos and fatty acids, and be one of the worst believers in the world. One must separate and distinguish between physical food for the body and spiritual food for the soul. Eating a sugary soda is not a sin and does not put the Christian out of fellowship, likewise eating a bowl of cooked garden grown vegetables daily does not keep the believer in fellowship with God the Holy Spirit. So, smoking cigarettes or driving behind a large vehicle belching out heavy diesel exhaust is not sinful and therefore, does not place the believer out of fellowship. On the other hand, living and driving only in the clean country air in itself will not improve your spiritual life.
Romans 14:18
For he who serves the Christ in this [application of this function of the honor code regarding the essentials verses the non-essentials as per verses 14-17] is well pleasing to the God [in the function of one’s royal priesthood, representing self to God] and respected by men [in the function of one’s royal ambassadorship representing God to mankind].
ὁ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ δουλεύων τῷ Χριστῷ εὐάρεστος τῷ θεῷ καὶ δόκιµος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
Ambassadorship: “respected by men” [in the function of one’s royal ambassadorship
An ambassador is a high ranking-minister of state or royalty sent to another state to represent his sovereign or country. By analogy, we are spiritual aristocracy as members of the royal family of God, and Christ is the King who has sent us into a foreign country, the cosmic world. At salvation, every believer enters the royal family of God through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and at the same time, he becomes a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth. Ambassadorship stems from being in union with Christ via the Baptism of the Spirit.
The Profile of the Ambassador:
1. An ambassador does not appoint himself for he is appointed by God Himself at the moment he believes in Jesus Christ. As the Christian grows spiritually, he acquires the capacity to handle this responsibility.
2. The ambassador does not support himself and so it is with the Church Age believer who is provided for by Logistical Grace and augmented at spiritual maturity by Escrow Blessings.
3. The ambassador's instructions are always in written form so he has no doubt as to what he should do. We have the policies, the Problem-Solving Devices, instructions, principles, doctrines, and concepts in written form in the Scripture.
4. The ambassador does not belong to the country to which he is sent. His citizenship is in heaven though he is also a citizens of a particular nation.
5. The royal ambassador does not live in the foreign country for his own personal interest, but lives on earth solely to serve the interest of his Lord. Therefore, he should subordinate all personal interest to the function of his ambassadorship which includes the Filling of the Spirit, cognition of Bible doctrine, and execution of the protocol plan of God. The more a person advances spiritually, the better he will fulfill his responsibilities as an ambassador.
6. The ambassador does not treat any insult as personal for he realizes that any insult received in the proper function of his ambassadorship is an insult against the Lord. This also means that the Christian ambassador tolerates others and holds no grudges. When he is insulted, treated unfairly, or ridiculed, he maintains his poise and dignity by the use of the spiritual life given to him. He leaves the responsibility of retaliation etc. in the Lord's hands.
7. When an ambassador is recalled, his recall is tantamount to a declaration of war. His recall is analogous to the Rapture of the Church. The Tribulation is analogous to that period of war.
The Royal Ambassadorship is Specialized and Intensified in the Gift of Pastor-Teacher:
1. All communicative gifts (evangelists, apostles, pastor-teachers) become critical and specialized in the functions of the royal ambassadorship because they communicate spiritual truth. This is why Paul said in Ephesians 6:20, “on behalf of which [gospel] I am an ambassador in chains, that in this [proclaiming of the mystery doctrine], I might communicate with confidence as I ought to speak.”
2. There is a special need for those who communicate doctrine to do so with confidence. That confidence cannot exist apart from their understanding of the spiritual life in detail, and have the ability to study and teach the Word from the original languages. Furthermore, in order to handle the difficulties, the indifference, the communicator must be a spiritual adult otherwise he will not be able to do his job as unto the Lord.
The Royal Ambassadorship Related to Evangelism:
1. 2 Corinthians 5:20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were making His appeal through us. We invite you on behalf of Christ: become reconciled to God.”
2. This is the function of every believer who witnesses and is the special function of the believer with the gift of evangelism. We are not only to witness through our life, but also to witness through verbal communication of the Gospel.
The Royal Ambassadorship Mandates the Function of Spiritual Self-esteem and Impersonal Love:
Philemon 8-10, “Therefore, although I have much confidence [in my authority] in Christ to command you to do what is right [protocol], rather because of your love [for Jesus Christ] I encourage you, being such a one as Paul, an ambassador, and also now a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I appeal to you on behalf of my son, whom I have fathered in my chains, Onesimus,”
1. When the spiritual momentum of the royal ambassador takes him to the point of personal love for God, he then has maximum spiritual self-esteem which enables him to apply impersonal love toward all mankind.
2. While personal love for God is the function of one’s royal priesthood, spiritual self-esteem and impersonal love for man are the functions of his ambassadorship.
3. Everything the believer does in life becomes a part of his modus operandi as a royal ambassador. Every believer, therefore, makes a pulpit out of his circumstances in every area of life.
4. Your ambassadorship is basically made up of two factors: how you live and what you say as a result of what you think. In private, you function under your priesthood; in public, you function under your ambassadorship.
The Royal Ambassadorship is Related to the Angelic Conflict:
1. The Church Age believer is not only an ambassador to human creatures, but to angels as well. You are being watched right now just as the angels observed our Lord, 1 Timothy 3:16, “And by common acknowledgement, great is the mystery of the spiritual life [proto-type and the operational type]. He who was revealed in the flesh [Hypostatic Union]: He was vindicated by the Spirit [Filled at birth and remained under that ministry during His 33 years]; He was seen by angels [because it was the crossroad of history]; He was proclaimed among the nations; He was believed on in the world; He was taken up into glory [resurrection].”
2. Elect angels observe and rejoice over the conversion of one person, Luke 15:7-10, “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner [an unbeliever] who changes his thinking [regarding Christ and believes and therefore, becomes a royal priest and ambassador] than over ninety-nine righteous persons [believers with imputed righteousness] who have no need of a change of thinking [toward Christ]. (8) Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? (9) When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ (10) In the same way, I tell you, there is happiness in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner [unbeliever] who changes his thinking [regarding Christ and believes].”
3. Fallen angels are organized to resist and oppose your ambassadorship and your growth in grace, Ephesians 6:12, “Because our warfare [as royal priests and ambassadors in spiritual combat] is not against blood and flesh [human beings], but against the rulers [demon generals and commanders such as Abaddon, and Apollyon], against the authorities [demon commissioned officers], against the world rulers of this darkness [demon possessed ambassadors and rulers of the world], against the spiritual forces of evil [rank and file demons] in the heavenly places [in the atmosphere around the earth].”
4. The fact that angels are watching you as an ambassador is found in 1 Corinthians 4:9, “For I think God has exhibited us apostles last of all as men condemned to death [last ones into the Colosseum], for we have become an amphitheater to the world, both to angels and to men.”
5. Ephesians 3:10, “In order that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the church to rulers and authorities in the heavenlies [angels learn from Church Age believers].”
6. 1 Timothy 5:21, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His elect angels [elect angels constantly watch Church Age believers] to maintain these doctrines without bias; do nothing on the basis of partisan strife.”
The Concept of the Believer-Ambassador:
1. While the priesthood of the believer emphasizes the daily intake and application of God’s word and advance to spiritual maturity, the ambassadorship of the believer emphasizes the production of the Christian way of life.
2. This ambassador’s service can be a function of one's spiritual gift or obedience to a command related to service as taught in the Word.
3. Since maximum production involves spiritual maturity, it is obvious that the attainment of spiritual maturity results in maximum effectiveness in the area of your royal ambassadorship.
4. The Filling of the Spirit is an absolute necessity in the function of the ambassador. Any Christian service or works apart from the Filling of the Spirit is wood, hay and stubble, a good to be burned at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
5. Everything the believer does in life becomes a part of his ambassadorship, for in effect, the believer makes a pulpit out of his circumstances.
6. The Lord uses ambassadors in business, professions, homes, academic life, and in local churches. Your circumstances are your full-time Christian service whether you work in the military, in labor, or in management etc. In the Roman Empire, many believers fulfilled their ambassadorship as slaves.
The Concept of the Weeping Ambassador:
The weeping ambassador expresses the regrets of wrong thinking and the failure of the believer or unbeliever to orient to history. Disorientation to history means distraction from the Christian way of life. Isaiah 33:6-7, “And He [Lord Jesus Christ] will be the stability of your times, a wealth of deliverance, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of [respect for] Lord is his treasure [in 721 B.C. there was no knowledge or respect for the Lord in the Northern Kingdom] (7) Behold their brave men [the army of the Northern Kingdom of Israel] cry [from patriotism over the loss of their fellow soldiers, their freedom and over the destruction of their nation] in the streets, the ambassadors of peace [the liberal politicians] weep bitterly.” The faithful ambassador in contrast to the weeping ambassador: Proverbs 13:16-17, “Every wise believer acts with knowledge of doctrine, but a fool [a believer who rejects the spiritual life] spreads foolishness. An evil messenger falls into adversity [the law of volitional responsibility], but a faithful envoy brings healing [is an effective witness for Christ].”
Romans 14:19
Consequently, we pursue [no matter what are the circumstances of life] those things related to the prosperity [of the spiritual life], and we pursue those things [doctrines] related to the building up of one another.
ἄρα οὖν τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης διώκωµεν καὶ τὰ τῆς οἰκοδοµῆς τῆς εἰς ἀλλήλους·
At spiritual maturity, the Christian has love for God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, shares the happiness of God, has capacity for life, love, happiness, blessing, and freedom. He has the ability to face suffering and pressures in life; he has the ability to correctly interpret contemporary history and to evaluate current events in the light of the Word of God. He has freedom from the slavery to circumstances, and adaptability to the changing circumstances of life. He has a complete and total sense of security in life, regardless of whether he is in a period of obvious prosperity or obvious disaster. These things are the spiritual heritage of the mature believer. The more you advance in maturity, the more these blessings increase.
Note also that the pursuit of doctrine is how the Christian fulfills God’s plan, which in turn results in fulfilment of the honor code which in turn brings blessing to one another.
Romans 14:20
Because of food do not tear down the work of the God. To be sure all foods are clean, but it becomes evil to that man [the advanced believer] who by eating gives offense [to the weak believer in the process of spiritual growth].
µὴ ἕνεκεν βρώµατος κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ. πάντα µὲν καθαρά, ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόµµατος ἐσθίοντι.
A few points for clarification:
1. This phrase eliminates food and beverage as a basis for taboos and legalism. There are some exceptions such as drunkenness, over-indulgence in alcoholic beverage and possibly over-indulgence in food. Apart from over-indulgence all food and beverage are considered clean.
2. Because the weak believer makes a taboo out of certain foods and beverages and relates it to the Christian way of life, the strong believer must not allow his superior knowledge of doctrine hinder the advance of the weak positive believer.
3. The strong believer is absolutely correct in his norms and standards that all foods and beverages are clean therefore, edible and drinkable, but he must not hinder the advance of the weak believer.
A few more points for clarification:
1. A right thing done in a wrong way is not only wrong but it may become evil if it should distract a positive believer from doctrine. A right thing properly applied, done in a right way is right and good.
2. Generally, eating and drinking are matters of privacy, but in public places they can become public issues which distract the weak believer from doctrine and therefore would destroy his momentum.
3. The burden of this function lies with the mature believer who should have a strong sense of responsibility and a strong sense of sensitivity where other believers are concerned.
4. The strong believer must be flexible regarding the application of a correct principle, either by using the principle or by refraining from using it as circumstances dictate.
5. This means that the Law of Love [impersonal love] in the honor code must prevail in all doubtful circumstances.
6. All who have grown spiritually and attained maturity did so because at some time while they were advancing, they were treated with tolerance and impersonal love. They were treated with tolerance even though they possessed erroneous standards.
Romans 14:21
It is honorable not to eat meat nor drink wine [in a specific situation where the Law of Love should supersede the Law of Liberty], nor do anything else by which your brother [the growing weak believer] stumbles.
καλὸν τὸ µὴ φαγεῖν κρέα µηδὲ πιεῖν οἶνον µηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ὁ ἀδελφός σου προσκόπτει.
Principle: Believers with positive volition use their freedom to advance to maturity, while believers with negative volition use their freedom to reject doctrine. Therefore, freedom creates inequality. That is, inequalities exist through the use of one’s freedom. Equality is an impossible myth; freedom is the potentiality for advancing in the plan of God.
On a specific occasion, the weak believer will stumble when he is offended in his conscience by the function of a strong believer whom he observes to be eating meat, contrary to his own taboo, or drinking alcoholic beverage, again contrary to his own taboo. The false norms of the weak believer produce arrogance, and from that arrogance comes hypersensitivity. In hypersensitivity, he reacts to the mature norms of a strong believer. Unfortunately, doctrine is blamed and rejected by the weak. Therefore, the strong believer must be careful not to make the weak believer stumble.
Romans 14:22
You there, the doctrine which you have according to your own norms and standards before God, [be having it in relationship to yourself in the sight of the God.] Happy is that one [the advanced believer] who does not condemn himself in what he approves [does not violate his good norms and standards].
σὺ πίστιν [ἣν] ἔχεις κατὰ σεαυτὸν ἔχε ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ. µακάριος ὁ µὴ κρίνων ἑαυτὸν ἐν ᾧ δοκιµάζει·
You have to know when to respect the privacy of someone else who is wrong. You may be right; they may be wrong, but you have to know when to keep quiet. Let each believer establish his own norms and standards from doctrine he learns, not doctrine you have learned. He cannot live his life as unto the Lord without Bible doctrine resident in his soul. The believer must live his life on the basis of doctrinal standards he possesses, not the doctrinal standards someone else possesses. Therefore, the weak believer must learn doctrine for happiness in his relationship with God, he cannot depend on doctrine others have learned for this relationship.
A few points for consideration:
1. The honor code principle recognizes that the weak believer is ignorant of doctrine and full of prejudices, so that he has nothing in his soul to comprehend the lifestyle related to freedom.
2. Many of the mature believer’s freedoms cannot be publicly flaunted without distracting the weak believer from the primary issue of doctrine.
3. Your lifestyle can easily become a distraction to the weak believer who has neither the doctrine nor the understanding of the privacy of the priesthood to cope with your liberty.
4. Therefore, you have to give number one priority to doctrine in your life which requires flexibility in the application of the non-essentials.
5. This flexibility of application demands that certain legitimate functions in life which distract the weak believer who is advancing spiritually have to be set aside temporarily.
6. Therefore, the mature believer has an important responsibility in making sure that his freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak believer who neither understands nor has flexibility from doctrine.
Romans 14:23
But he [the weak believer] who doubts [if he does something contrary to his own taboo] is condemned [because of his conscience], because he does not eat by means of doctrine [but on the basis of taboos]. And everything which is not eaten by means of doctrine is equivalent to sin.
ὁ δὲ διακρινόµενος ἐὰν φάγῃ κατακέκριται, ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως· πᾶν δὲ ὃ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως ἁµαρτία ἐστίν.
True norms and standards of the Soul:
1. Doctrine resident in the soul is the only basis for establishing correct norms for the Christian way of life. Previous norms, before salvation, are not acceptable in the modus operandi of Christianity.
2. However, the weak believer possesses norms and standards of conscience based upon his background, and to eat meat would violate the pseudo-norms of his early environment. Therefore, the normal reaction would be a guilt complex which is much worse than having false norms and standards.
3. Christian freedom under grace must never precede or get ahead of doctrine in the soul which equates the action of the believer with the conscience of the believer.
4. Never permit your modus operandi to get ahead of your doctrinal norms. Always stay with your own norms and standards until doctrine replaces them.
5. Norms and standards of the conscience which are based on doctrinal inculcation must always be the basis for doing a right thing in a right way.
6. The believer cannot live on the norms and standards of others. He must live on his own norms and standards, and therefore he must develop an accurate conscience which requires the daily intake of doctrine.