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 Twelve
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
“America’s Nightmare Winter” a video by Bill Bonner describes two trains in the U. S. headed toward one another on a collision course which two trains were manufactured by the government and will bring untold suffering and starvation to the American people.
Philemon 4-6, “I thank my God always when making mention of you [Philemon] at the time of my prayers, (5) after hearing of your [Philemon’s personal] love and doctrine which [the singular relative has a collective force] you [Philemon] have toward [the Greek preposition pros means face to face and thus implying personal love] the Lord Jesus and [your unconditional love and doctrine which you have] toward [the Greek preposition eis is directional only and so non-intimate implying impersonal love] all the saints, (6) and I pray [elaborating on the phrase, ‘making mention of you’ in verse 4] that the fellowship [fellowship occurs during Bible teaching: the pastor along with the congregation enjoying doctrine together] of your [singular: Philemon’s] doctrine [truth learned in a Bible setting] might become [the subjunctive mood recognizes the free will of Philemon] effective [energy in the stream of consciousness] by means of the metabolized knowledge [epignosis] of every good [doctrine] which is in us [plural: in the souls of Philemon & Paul; good manuscript support, also the context: verses 1, 4, 5] directed toward Christ [occupation with Christ].”
A few points regarding this prayer:
1. Paul prayed for Philemon and we can assume other great believers as well.
2. In this prayer, Paul knew that Philemon would continue taking in the Word of God “that the fellowship of your doctrine.”
3. Paul prayed in the subjunctive mood (Philemon’s volition would need to be involved) that the Biblical truth being assimilated by Philemon would become effective energy in the soul of Philemon through the normal metabolization process and contribute towards Philemon’s love for Christ.
A prayer patterned after Paul’s prayer above: Father, I pray for all the adult believers in the United States and even beyond our borders who are at spiritual maturity or advancing toward that objective that the Biblical information that they are learning from a prepared pastor might become spiritual energy by being metabolized and related to the truth stored in their stream of consciousnesses to strengthen their love for the members of the Trinity with emphasis on their love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans Chapter 12
1 – 2: The Techniques of the spiritual life (the interim life).
3 – 8: The Function of the spiritual life (the interim life).
4 – 21: The Production of the spiritual life (the interim life).
Introductory information:
The Interim life:
1. The interim life is that period of Christian experience between salvation and maturity.
2. This interim life can only be executed by those believers who are positive toward doctrine and advancing toward the objective of maturity.
3. The reversionistic believer namely the apostate who is negative toward doctrine and rejects the function of the Recovery Procedure is not able to live the interim life. Instead, he lives his life under divine discipline, the disciplinary life. So, attitude toward doctrine determines whether you live the interim life or the disciplinary life.
4. In other words, the interim life is the status of those believers who are adjusting to the integrity of God. Either you adjust to the integrity of God or the integrity of God will adjust to you.
5. In the interim life, the believer is adjusting to the integrity of God through the Filling of the Spirit and consistent intake of doctrine.
The Royal Family Honor-Code:
1. We have become a nation of peasants in our thinking, a people without virtue. The aristocracy of thinking has disappeared and this has had a direct effect upon fundamental Christians. Rather than placing themselves under God’s authority to learn God’s plan for their lives, a system that requires the development of humility, honor and integrity, they function as low-class scum living in the filth of legalism and emotionalism.
2. The mental attitude of aristocracy is based on an honor-code for all systems of aristocracy have such a code.
3. You cannot advance to maturity without understanding your honor code which can only be learned in privacy through the inculcation of the subjects of the spiritual life.
4. The royal family honor-code guarantees the privacy of the believer to live his life before the Lord and provides a system of thoughtfulness and good manners toward all.
5. The honor-code of the royal family of God demands that the believer function in compatibility with the grace policy of the integrity of God.
6. The object of the honor-code is to advance the believer to maturity so that he in maturity, can function on the basis of integrity.
7. The royal family honor-code demands total dependence on the integrity of God, both His righteousness and His justice.
8. The honor-code has a motto: Right thinking, right motivation, right decisions and right function.
Romans 12:1
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God [the grace blessings from the integrity of God] that you place your bodies under orders [by advancing spiritually] as a living, set-apart sacrifice. This is well pleasing to our God - your rational and spiritual worship.
Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑµᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρµῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, παραστῆσαι τὰ σώµατα ὑµῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν ἁγίαν εὐάρεστον τῷ θεῷ, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑµῶν·
The inferential conjunction denotes an inference from what has preceded. What has preceded is Romans chapter eight. Chapters 9-11 is a parenthesis explaining why the Jewish dispensation had been halted and why the unconditional covenants have not yet been fulfilled, and will not be fulfilled until the Second Advent. So, this inferential conjunction reaches back to Romans chapter eight where maturity is described. Chapter eight is for the mature believer; chapter 12 is how to reach maturity under the royal family of God honor-code.
The best translation of the Greek verb parakaleo would be “I encourage” or “I urge.” The present tense is a pictorial present which presents to the mind the picture of a military commander before battle, urging or encouraging his troops to advance to the objective. Just as soldiers in the ancient world were encouraged to advance toward their objectives, so we in our spiritual warfare are to advance toward our objectives, first our tactical objectives and then on toward the final two strategic objectives.
“Mercies of God” refer to those blessings in time which are imputed at the point of maturity. Here these blessings are used in Paul’s appeal as motivation for advancing to the point of blessing. In other words, Paul is the commanding officer at the foot of the hill and as such he is urging the royal family to advance to the high ground of maturity. He says, “Up there are blessings; go get them!” When blessing from God is used as motivation it is a legitimate motivation since blessing from God is the only way that we can glorify God in the angel conflict.
“That you place your bodies under orders as a living set-apart sacrifice” means to place one’s self at God’s disposal. We are on this earth to serve God, not for God to serve us. Why the body? Why not the brain? Why not the soul? The body of the believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is also the residence of the old sin nature. These two are resident and mutually antagonistic as explained in Galatians 5:16. When the old sin nature controls through sin, good, or evil, it also takes control of the soul. On the other hand, if the Holy Spirit who indwells the body, controls the soul, the believer is able to advance. The soul is the issue, what you think is the issue, and the whole process of the function of the soul. When it says here that you place your body under orders it is referring to the use of the Recovery Procedure to place oneself under the command of the Spirit via the Filling of the Spirit.
A few points regarding the rest of this verse:
1. All worship must be rational, and this is only possible by relating it to Bible doctrine.
2. All worship must be spiritual, therefore related to the Filling of the Spirit and metabolized doctrine which is summarized in John 4:24.
3. To place your bodies under orders as a living, holy (set apart) sacrifice is not a one-shot decision, a so-called dedication to Christian living or service. In reality it is a series of decisions, daily decisions which involve the use of the Recovery Procedure when necessary followed by the maintenance of the Filling of the Spirit, and the consistent intake of Bible doctrine, the means of establishing the royal family honor code in your life.
4. The pattern of the Christian life is never guided by one decision. It takes one decision to become a Christian; after that there are no one-decision panaceas. Always it is a series of decisions. God gives us a day at a time and so we must make decisions each day.
5. Salvation, then, is a one-shot decision, but the spiritual life which follows salvation is a series of decision. You place yourself under orders to God for daily commands, daily decisions, daily function.
A few points regarding Worship:
1. Spiritual worship is rational worship. Therefore, the emotionalism of tongues and other forms of emotional revolt are excluded.
2. Basically, worship includes certain functions: singing, praying, giving, the intake of doctrine, and the communion service. Each facet of worship demands two things: the Filling of the Holy Spirit and the residence of Bible doctrine in the soul. Always, it is doctrine and the Spirit.
3. Therefore singing must be related to doctrine and executed under the Filling of the Spirit.
4. Therefore, prayer must conform to doctrine and be executed in the Filling of the Spirit.
5. Therefore, giving must be motivated from doctrine resident in the soul and fulfilled in the Filling of the Spirit.
6. Therefore, perception of doctrine, the most important and basic facet of worship, demands the Filling of the Spirit for inculcation.
7. Therefore, the communion service is a ritual which has no meaning apart from doctrine resident in the soul. Hence, a worship function which is impossible apart from the Filling of the Spirit.
Romans 12:2
Also stop being conformed to this world [through Cosmic One and Two], but be transformed by the renovation of your thinking that you may prove what the will of God is namely the good of intrinsic value [the values in your life rise to a high peak], the well pleasing to God [the will of God is always well pleasing to God], and the mature status quo [fulfilling all the spiritual objectives and so receiving the fulness of blessing from God].
καὶ µὴ συσχηµατίζεσθε τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ µεταµορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοός, εἰς τὸ δοκιµάζειν ὑµᾶς τί τὸ θέληµα τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον.
Principle: The destiny of man is not to work for God, but for God to work for him. The ultimate in the spiritual life is to receive the imputation of divine blessing at spiritual maturity and even greater blessings after passing Evidence Testing.
The objective of the spiritual life is not external production but internal growth through maximum doctrine resident in the soul. Therefore, the will of God for the believer cannot be divorced from Bible doctrine and its perception. This Bible doctrine, God has preserved in the canon of Scripture, preserved for every generation.
Romans 12:3
For I say through the grace which has been given to me [Paul’s humility and grace orientation expressed], to everyone [Church Age believer] who is among you, stop thinking of self in terms of arrogance [using the arrogance skills] beyond what you ought to think, but think in terms of sanity [objective spiritual thinking] for the purpose of being rational without illusion [about self and others], as God has assigned to each one a standard of thinking from doctrine [James 4:10].
Λέγω γὰρ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τῆς δοθείσης µοι παντὶ τῷ ὄντι ἐν ὑµῖν µὴ ὑπερφρονεῖν παρí ὃ δεῖ φρονεῖν, ἀλλὰ φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ σωφρονεῖν, ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἐµέρισεν µέτρον πίστεως.
Humility, not arrogance: James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will promote you.” In his humanity Jesus Christ demonstrated how to develop humility. Philippians 2:8, “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross.” Hebrews 5:8, “Although being a Son He [a reference to His humanity] learned obedience [to authority] from the things which he had suffered.” Humility then is developed through one’s submission to all legitimate authorities. When you are consistently obedient to all legitimate authorities, you develop humility and the Lord then is able to promote you.
“Stop thinking of self in terms of arrogance” Bitterness will be used as an example of arrogance.
1. People do not believe the lie until they have first rejected the truth.
2. This verse implies that arrogant thinking can cause a person to go from sanity to insanity.
3. Proverbs 23:7, "As a person thinks in his soul so he is".
4. Marcus Aurelius, one of the emperors of the Golden Age of the Roman Empire had this to say, "Our life is what are thoughts make it".
5. 1 Corinthians 10:12,"Therefore, let him who keeps on thinking that he stands, [the arrogance skills] take heed lest he fall."
6. Galatians 6:3, "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing and he does [the function of the 1st Arrogant Skill], he deceives himself [self-deception, the 2nd arrogant skill]."
7. Isaiah 59:7, "Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction are in their way."
8. In 1 Samuel 1:10, Hanna became bitter because she did not have what other women had namely a child.
9. A mother becomes bitter when her son turns out to be fool. Proverbs 17:25, "A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who gave birth to him." [The woman has a predilection toward bitterness because she was created as a responder and as such can easily become a reactor.]
10. Isaiah 33:7,"Behold the brave men [they are the objects of lack of training and equipment] cry on the roads [because they loved their country and have not been given the opportunity to exercise their military functions in such a way as to deliver their love ones and their nation], but the ambassadors for peace [the politicians who start wars through their irrational policies and treaties] weep bitterly." [The reason that politicians wept bitterly was because they thought they could negotiate peace with their national enemy without having to maintain a strong military: peace at any price. Even so, politicians will never admit that they were wrong for if they did, they would not become bitter.]
11. Job 7:11," I will complain in bitterness of soul." Job 10:1, "I will speak in bitterness of soul." [Bitterness runs around and complains to others for bitterness is self-serving and self- justifying].
12. If you are bitter, you will be vindictive. If you are vindictive, you are going to be implacable. Bitterness produces a harshness and unforgiveness totally divorced from reality. Bitterness always motivates revenge.
13. The result of bitterness and vindictiveness is arrogant malicious resentment, unforgiving mental attitude, a status of irreconcilable enmity.
14. Job 10:1, "I loathe my own life [self-deception and self-absorption makes you loathe yourself]; I will give vent to my complaint; I will speak in bitterness of my soul."
15. Bitterness motivates lying about others. Psalm 64:3,"Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword; they aim their bitter speech like an arrow."
Doctrine in the soul is designed to eliminate the goofy thinking and the arrogant dreaming which is so prevalent among believers today. Doctrine causes the believer to think in terms of common sense, rational and sane divine viewpoint, which inserts doctrine into the daily life and avoids irrationality.
Romans 12:4
For just as we have many parts in one body [of the Royal Family of God], and all parts do not have the same function,
καθάπερ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ σώµατι πολλὰ µέλη ἔχοµεν, τὰ δὲ µέλη πάντα οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει πρᾶξιν,
Romans 12:5
So we, the many, are one body in Christ and individually parts one of another [sustaining each other through our spiritual gifts],
οὕτως οἱ πολλοὶ ἓν σῶµά ἐσµεν ἐν Χριστῷ, τὸ δὲ καθí εἷς ἀλλήλων µέλη.
The Team Concept:
When a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ in the Church Age, he is given a spiritual gift which is designed to function in harmony with the spiritual gifts of others in the team (1 Corinthians 12:8-21). Therefore, we must understand how this team functions, and how this team becomes a great team. No team ever functions well together and becomes a winning team without a lot of instruction, training and respect for authority.
What is an effective Christian team, and how and when is it formed? The team formed by the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Salvation is described as the body, and its leader is called the head. Jesus Christ is the head, and all Christians make up the different parts of the body. Some members of the team are eyes, some are hands, and feet etc. (1 Corinthians 12:20-22). At salvation, God the Holy Spirit gives each believer a spiritual gift which gifts determine the position the Christian plays on the team. Let us use American football as an analogy to illustrate how a team should function. There are different positions and functions on a football team. Not every Christian can be the quarterback; not every Christian can be the running back and carry the ball. Some Christians must do the blocking. Some Christians must do the tackling. Every position is important. The quarterback is not going to be effective unless there is good blocking and tackling. (Though spiritual gifts were designed to unite the members of a church into a harmonious functioning team, they were dividing the members in Corinth.) Furthermore, the team is not going to be effective unless every player on that team does his job.
The team must be taught well by the pastor under the Filling of the Spirit. This means that each member of the team must learn the technical words of theology and all the doctrines related to establishment and the spiritual life. In order to accomplish this, the Holy Spirit communicates through the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher. The pastor is the agent, but it is the Holy Spirit who makes Biblical truth understandable to the believer.
The team benefits when spiritually advanced-Christians function well under their spiritual gifts. On the other hand, the team suffers when Christians do not function properly under their spiritual gifts. Every church, missionary organization, Bible college, seminary etc. consists of a team of believers. When the team consists of spiritually advanced believers, the team functions harmoniously under grace, but when the team is made up of emotionally non-thinking believers, the team becomes irrational and legalistic. So, for Christian organizations to function well, the believers in those organizations must either be in spiritual maturity or very close to it.
Romans 12:6
And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, if prophecy, then prophesy in agreement with the doctrine;
ἔχοντες δὲ χαρίσµατα κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡµῖν διάφορα, εἴτε προφητείαν κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως,
The gift of prophecy mentioned here was a temporary gift which had two connotations: foretelling (accurate dealing with the future) and forthtelling (accurate communication of doctrine). Before the canon of Scripture was completed certain male believers under this gift received messages from God which were compatible with doctrine not yet written. In other words, how did believers in the early church know the content of Revelation before it was written. They learned it from the gift of prophecy. Pre-canon Church Age believers with this gift not only predicted future events such as the Tribulation but also received revelation about things that had not yet been written in the canon of Scripture, and that is forthtelling. Foretelling is predicting; forthtelling is preaching. The gift was two-fold in this sense.
1 Corinthians 12:4. Now there are differences [a variety] of [spiritual] gifts [χαρισµά], but the same Spirit [The Holy Spirit is the source of spiritual gifts].
The Holy Spirit at salvation forms the spiritual team. Just as there are many positions on a football team so there are many spiritual gifts on the spiritual team. It is the sovereignty of God the Holy Spirit who decides what position (what spiritual gift) each member of the body of Christ will receive. (The Greek word charisma “χαρισµά” means a gift freely and graciously given without any human merit.) This decision of the Holy Spirit was not to make one believer superior or inferior, but for harmonious team function.
List of Temporary Spiritual Gifts:
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Apostleship
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Prophecy
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Teaching
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Healing
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Miracles
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Languages or Tongues
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Interpretation of languages (Tongues)
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Wisdom
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Knowledge
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Exhortation [encouragement, comfort, counsel]
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Discerning spiritual matters
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Faith
List of Permanent Spiritual Gifts:
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Pastor-Teacher
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Evangelism (evangelizing before groups of unbelievers)
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Administrative Leadership (the chairman of the board of deacons)
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Administrative leadership under the chairman (the deacons)
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Ministry/Service (both men and women working on committees etc.)
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Helps with many manifestations and may be expressed in hospitality.
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Mercy: may be more dramatic than the gift of helps
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Giving
Romans 12:7
If service, then serve in the gift of service; if teaching, then teach in the gift of teaching,
εἴτε διακονίαν ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ, εἴτε ὁ διδάσκων ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ,
“If service, then serve within the framework of the gift of service.” The spiritual gift of service or ministry is one of the more common spiritual gifts among men and women. It is from this gift that so many things are done in the local church. No woman has the gift of pastor-teacher, the gift of evangelism, or the gift of administration but this shouldn’t keep ladies from teaching children, from personal witnessing, or from functioning in the administration of the church if they have the gift of service.
The Greek noun diakonia is translated “service” in better modern translations. (Some confusion arises because diakonia resembles diakonos, transliterated “deacon” which actually refers to the gift of administrative leadership.) Diakonia is a spiritual gift of service given to both men and women. Diakonos is an office in the local church, held by a man serving on the deacon board. This gift (diakonia) functions in the administration of the local church. It means ministry or service; it does not refer to the office of deacon in the local church. Those who have this spiritual gift should serve on committees and in specific administrative functions in the local church, on mission boards, in Christian service organizations etc. This makes for effective, administrative function in the local church and other Christian organizations. This spiritual gift is strictly administrative without the leadership function provided by the Holy Spirit.
“If his gift is the gift of teaching [pastor-teacher], let him teach.” In other words, don’t try to be something you’re not. You’re great in functioning within your own spiritual gift. If you try to do something else, you will fall flat on your face. Scripture doesn’t say the pastor-teacher is to run absolutely everything; that would be ridiculous. He is to oversee that the policies line up with the Scripture. Administrative matters must be delegated. The pastor who doesn’t delegate cannot study and teach.
Romans 12:8
If it is the gift of exhortation [parakaleo: counseling], then let him counsel and comfort. [literally “in the sphere of exhorting or counselling: paraklesis] He who gives do so with generosity [This refers to the gift of giving which belongs to a few]; he who manages administration do so with diligence; he who performs acts of mercy do so with graciousness [all the above are spiritual gifts].
εἴτε ὁ παρακαλῶν ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει, ὁ µεταδιδοὺς ἐν ἁπλότητι, ὁ προϊστάµενος ἐν σπουδῇ, ὁ ἐλεῶν ἐν ἱλαρότητι.
The pre-canon gift of exhortation:
Before the canon of Scripture was completed and circulated, the temporary spiritual Gift of Exhortation was necessary for a number of reasons. When a group of believers were being persecuted or under pressure for some other reason, a man with this gift and knowledge of the spiritual life would offer encouragement to these groups of believers. It is hard for present day Christians to understand the difficulties of the early Church. For example, there was only one apostle assigned to the entire Gentile world, and he had to train pastors as quickly as he could etc. Furthermore, these new converts to Christianity could not open their Bibles since there were none. Most Christians did not have a copy of the Septuagint nor could they open their New Testaments for encouragement. It would take a long time for all the epistles to be written and circulated. Furthermore, how long did it take into the Church Age before all Christians had the benefit of the ministry of the Paraclete, a ministry related to the Filling of the Spirit and the spiritual life? Did all the Christian groups started by the return of the Jewish pilgrims receive the Filling of the Spirit upon their conversion or did they have to wait for a visiting apostle to lay his hands upon them? All these factors point to the need of the Gift of Exhortation in the early Church.
The Greek words used for exhortation (encouragement, counseling) are the verb parakaleo, the nouns paraklesis comforting etc., and parakletos is the person who comforts, advises etc. In the Church Age, the Holy Spirit is the parakletos the one who comforts, encourages, advises, and counsels through doctrine resident in the soul of the believer. This is a one-on-one ministry by the Holy Spirit. John 14:26, “But the Paraclete [This mentorship ministry of exhortation, advising and counseling replaced any need for the Gift of Exhortation apart from the exhortation ministry of the pastor], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send [on the Day of Pentecost] in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance [since they could not remember anything] all that I communicated to you [during His public ministry].”
Is there a need for the Gift of Exhortation in the post-canon period of the Church Age? As the Holy Spirit has a ministry of exhortation to individuals, so the pastor has the responsibility of exhortation to a group namely his own congregation. 2 Timothy 4:2, “Communicate the Word, be alert [stick to studying] when it is a good time and when it is a bad time [not convenient]; discipline, rebuke, reprimand, encourage [comfort: the Greek word parakaleo] by means of steadfastness and by means of instruction [the Greek word ‘didaske’ is doctrine taught by a pastor-teacher, didaskalos.” 1 Corinthians 13:10, “But, when the perfect [the completed cannon] has come [canon completed and distributed], the partial [the temporary spiritual gifts of the pre-canon period] will be discontinued [cancelled].”
Once all Christians had the opportunity to be Filled with the Spirit, and the gift of Pastor-Teacher was functioning worldwide, there was no longer a need for the temporary Gift of Exhortation. Only Christians with a tendency to function as crusaders like to assume they have this gift in order to justify going one on one with another Christian. The believer who assumes to have this gift in the post-canon period of the Church Age must assume that either the Holy Spirit or the pastor is failing in this ministry to justify his need to have this gift.
The only personal counseling sanctioned in the post-canon period of the Church Age though not a spiritual gift is as follows:
Titus 2:3-5, “Older women [a reference to spiritually mature Christian women] likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, (4) so that they may teach [advise] the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) to be sensible [self-controlled], chaste [set-apart: living the spiritual life], workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” [Many young women have to be taught to love their husbands and children since true love from integrity is not understood by them. The maternal instincts of a woman are related to emotion and therefore, are no substitutes for true love.]
Spiritual gift of giving:
1. The function of spiritual giving must be distinguished from ordinary giving in a congregation, or even extraordinary giving in a congregation. The gift is sovereignly bestowed by the Holy Spirit at salvation without regard to financial status. It functions under the Filling of the Holy Spirit and maximum doctrine resident in the soul.
2. A general principle regarding gifts: The more the believer advances in the spiritual life the greater the function of his spiritual gift, whatever it may be, and the greater blessing he is to the royal family of God for all spiritual gifts are necessary for the function of the body of Christ.
3. The money necessary for the operation of the local church does not all come from this gift, for giving is an expression of worship for all Christians, a commemoration of grace, and indicative of the mental attitude-motivation of individual members of the royal family.
4. In this context, the subject is not the giving of the royal family, but the function of the special spiritual gift—the gift of giving which belongs to a few believers.
5. The doctrine of giving therefore must always be distinguished from the gift of giving. The doctrine of giving belongs to all believers; the gift of giving belongs to some believers.
“He who manages administration” is usually designated the chairman of the Board. The gift of administrative leadership, sometimes called the gift of governments, is found in Romans 12:8 and in 1 Corinthians 12:28. This is the gift of administrative leadership and has delegated authority from the pastor if this gift if functioning in a local church. 1 Corinthians 12:28 also mentions this gift under the Greek word kubernesis meaning “governments” or “administrations.” These two Greek words from these two verses, kubernesis (emphasizing administration) and proistemi (emphasizing authority and leadership) describe the two parts of this gift. It entails both authority and leadership and the function of administration. Though the pastor-teacher is the authority in the local church and establishes the policy, he deals with the chairman of the board to make sure his policy of grace is being followed.
Deacons in a local church are under the Chairman of the Board of Deacons. Regarding the gift of deacon (diakonos , a gift of administrative leadership: Paul makes it clear that only men hold this position. This spiritual gift is held by deacons who fulfill administrative responsibilities in local churches, on missionary boards; boards of Christian service organizations etc. Men with this administrative leadership spiritual gift must chair the various committees in the local church. 1 Timothy 3:8-13, “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, (9) but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (10) These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. (11) Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. (12) Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. (13) For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
It is the responsibility of the pastor to identify men who have these different administrative gifts and appoint them into the appropriate slot. The pastor who fails to do this eventually becomes a loser himself because one cannot have a good church without excellent administration. The very existence of this gift emphasizes that the primary responsibility of the pastor is not administration. The gift of administration, then, is linked to the function of the local church. (One important distinction must be made. A person can be great in administrating some business or organization, but that does not necessarily mean he has this spiritual gift.) The gift of administration calls for more than simply effective administrative function. It is a spiritual gift which is sensitive to the needs of the local church and how they are best administered.
“He who shows mercy must always do so with cheerfulness [graciousness].” This implies that if you have the gift of mercy, you will automatically show mercy, but you won’t necessarily like it without virtue. So, this verse commands that virtue accompany the function of this spiritual gift. This gift might be synonymous with helps, except that it extends primarily to the afflicted, to the persecuted, and to those who are victims of tyranny among believers and even unbelievers. Therefore, it is perhaps more dramatic than the gift of helps. In the time of the writing or Romans 12:8, it was dangerous to help Christians who were imprisoned or under persecution. In these situations, the gift of mercy would function. Hence, this spiritual gift is always related to courageous acts of mercy.
The gift of mercy like all spiritual gifts are also sovereignly bestowed by God the Holy Spirit at salvation. They depend upon the Filling of the Spirit plus spiritual growth for their function. Once the believer reaches a certain stage of spiritual growth, his gift functions automatically without necessary identification. These spiritual gifts function with maximum efficiency when the believer attains spiritual adulthood. These do not have to be identified, although with spiritual growth from doctrine, many may come to recognize their spiritual gift. They include: the gift of service/ministry, the gift of helps, the gift of mercy, and the gift of giving etc.
Motivation is an important part of our spiritual gifts. There are different kinds of ministries or Christian service, but one correct motivation. For example, some with the gift of helps have a ministry toward unbelievers in need of some type of help or comfort, others toward believers. Some men with the gift of administrative leadership function in a local church, others in missionary organizations, seminaries etc. Some pastors teach in churches; others teach in Bible colleges and seminaries, and some even communicate through writing. All these services should be executed with the motive to please the Lord.
Spiritual growth must occur before service. Since correct motivation only comes with spiritual advance, the Christian should grow up spiritually before getting involved in Christian service. If not, he will more than likely become arrogant about his service and lose out in his opportunity to fulfill the spiritual life. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 states “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching (by the Pastor), for rebuke (the Christian is rebuked when he fails), for correction (the good believer makes the necessary correction after his rebuke), for training in righteousness [reaching spiritual maturity with maximum virtue] in order that the man of God [the believer] might be proficient [capable], having been well equipped [prepared] for every good work [Christian service].” The only Christian properly equipped and qualified for Christian service is the mature believer. Christian service is not for children.
A few points of summary:
1. This passage does not attempt to enumerate spiritual gifts but rather to emphasize function within one’s sphere of spiritual gift. The emphasis is on function, and the command to function means to advance to maturity. For again, all spiritual gifts function best in maturity.
2. To attempt to cultivate activity in the sphere of someone else’s spiritual gift is to question the wisdom and the judgment of God the Holy Spirit. For example, a Christian woman who takes on the responsibility of pastor-teacher without the gift is blaspheming the Spirit.
3. Every believer normally functions in the sphere of his own spiritual gift when he advances to maturity through maximum doctrine resident in the soul and so functioning to sustain the body of Christ to the maximum in that generation.
4. Through the distribution of spiritual gifts each believer at salvation is assigned a sphere of influence and operation. This assignment is made by God the Holy Spirit and so cannot be cultivated or acquired through human talent, ability, works, changes in personality, or systems of morality.
5. The assignment of spiritual gifts at salvation is just another argument from the Scripture that God intends for every believer to attain spiritual maturity from the perception of Bible doctrine. The whole thrust of teaching spiritual gifts is not so that you can recognize and identify your gift, but to advance to maturity where your gift becomes operational.
Not all believers received the Filling of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem in 30 A.D. Until they did, they would not have had the benefit of the Holy Spirit functioning as the Paraclete in their lives.
Today, we can be exhorted, encouraged and comforted not only by the Holy Spirit on a personal basis, but also by the canon itself which most have in their homes and by the teaching ministry of a person’s pastor which ministry includes exhortation to a group.
The Pentecost and the three others that the Scriptures mentions: Though there are only four such events mentioned in Scripture, it does not imply that only four existed. There could have been hundreds even thousands of such events. Until these events occurred there was no Filling of the Spirit and no Filling of the Spirit would mean no exhortation ministry of the Spirit. This would be another factor in why there had to be the temporary Gift of Exhortation.
The Church Age began with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Indwelling, the Filling of the Spirit and the distribution of Spiritual gifts (and other Church Age assets not mentioned in Acts) to Jewish believers in Jerusalem circa June 7, 30 AD (Acts 2:1-7; 2:37, 38). Though the Church Age began on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, believers not in Jerusalem on that day were not baptized into Christ, did not receive the Indwelling nor the Filling of the Holy Spirit nor did they receive their spiritual gifts etc. Before they could be brought into the Church Age, they had to be identified with an apostle or in the case of Paul’s conversion, he was identified with a mature believer. How many of these identifications took place in the world in that generation we do not know. We just have four mentioned in Scripture representing the four categories of believers namely the Jewish Pentecost Acts 2:1-7ff, the Samaritan Pentecost (half Jew and half Gentile) believers of Acts 8, the Gentile Pentecost of Acts 10 and the Jewish Old Testament Pentecost, Jewish believers who were not in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 19:1-6).
The Jewish Pentecost occurred on the Day of Pentecost circa June 7, 30 A.D: Acts 2:1-7, 37, 38. Acts 2:1-3, “And when the day of Pentecost was being observed [had fully come], they [120 believers: Acts 1:15] were all together in the same place [in one large hall in Jerusalem]. (2) And suddenly [the Jewish age was ‘suddenly’ interrupted by the Church Age] there came from heaven a sound like a violent rushing wind [the advent of the Holy Spirit], and He [God the Holy Spirit] filled the entire hall [house] where they [the disciples] were sitting. [This explosive sound gained the attention of all in Jerusalem, and so, they came out to find out what was happening and at that time (9 AM: Acts 2:15) would have been met by the disciples with the gift of gentile languages.] (3) And languages [γλῶσσαι: glossai: sometimes translated as tongues] like fire [looking like fire] appeared to them, being distributed [plural: the languages were distributed by the Holy Spirit]; and He [God the Holy Spirit: the verb is in the 3rd person singular] rested upon each of them” [the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Indwelling of the Spirit, the Filling of the Holy Spirit, and Sealing]. This was a spectacular event, being accompanied by a loud violent wind, and since there were many Jews speaking gentile languages in Jerusalem at that time (These were the diaspora which had gone on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast days.) all the disciples were given the gift of speaking in a gentile language in order to communicate the gospel to these pilgrims. We might call this the “Jewish Pentecost.”
The Holy Spirit prepared these disciples to deal with this large crowd of Jewish unbelievers. Inside the room where the disciples were located, the Holy Spirit was distributing the gift of languages to the disciples; outside the Holy Spirit was gathering the Jewish people via the violent sound of rushing wind (like a tornado). As these people poured into downtown Jerusalem, they were met by the disciples - a great evangelistic moment in history. This large group of Jews was composed of two main groups: the Jews who lived in Jerusalem and spoke Aramaic, and the Jews who came from other regions to Jerusalem to celebrate certain feast days beginning with the Passover and culminating with the Feast of Pentecost. These pilgrims spoke only gentile languages, so the gift of foreign languages (Tongues) was essential for the communication of the Gospel message to them.
Fire represents judgment, and this is why the gift of languages took the appearance of fire. Earlier in Jewish history the Jews had been evangelized in either Hebrew or Aramaic, but Isaiah prophesied that the day would come when they would be evangelized in gentile languages (Isaiah 28:11, 12 cf. 1 Cor. 14:21, 22), serving as a warning that the 5th Cycle of Discipline explained in Leviticus 26:27-33 was coming to Israel. This judgment occurred 40 years after the introduction of the Gift of Languages (Gift of Tongues) in August of 70 A. D. when Israel was completely wiped out as a national entity. (Whenever God warned Israel about their apostasy, it was usually a 40-year warning.) For more information on this subject please read the booklet “Tongues” by R. B. Thieme, Jr.
Acts 2:4-7, 37, 38, “And they [disciples] were all filled with the Holy Spirit [The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit provides the power for the spiritual life of the Church Age.], and began to speak in other [than their native] languages, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [the ability to communicate in a gentile language without ever having studied that language]. (5) Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, religious men [religious and moral, but they did not have eternal life] out of every nation under heaven. (6) But this sound occurring, the multitude [the unbelieving Jews from all over the world who had gathered in Jerusalem during these feast days] came together and were confounded, because each one of them was hearing them [the disciples] speaking in his own dialect [one disciple would be speaking the Elamite language, another Parthian and still another would be speaking the Cappadocian language etc.] (7) And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, are not these who speak [many different foreign languages] all Galileans [the uneducated Jews who knew only Aramaic]?” (37) “Now when they heard this [the Gospel message], they were pierced in their heart [in the mentality of their souls: John 16:8-11] and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Men, brothers [fellow Jews], what shall we [the pilgrims] do? (38) Then Peter said to them, “Change your thinking [about Christ and believe in Him], and [after salvation] let each of you be baptized [water baptism as a pre-Canon teaching aid in understanding retroactive and current positional truth] in the person of Jesus Christ [the basis of salvation] because of the remission of sins [pre-salvation sins are all forgiven at the point of salvation; this forgiveness must come before the Filling of the Spirit] and [after the remission of sins as a part of your salvation package] you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [the Holy Spirit providing a human spirit as part of Regeneration, Sealing, Baptism of the Spirit, the Indwelling and Filling of the Spirit].”
Peter answered the question of the unbelieving Jews (verse 37) by commanding them (the verb is in the imperative mood) to change their thinking regarding Jesus Christ (Since Jewish unbelievers had some information about Jesus Christ, they were told to change their minds about Him.). They had been given the Gospel very clearly in their own languages and had been convinced that the information was true under the Common Grace ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11). Now, their volition was being challenged and they needed to make a decision regarding that information. Would they have a change of mind and believe in Him or not! (For the ones who did believe, the Holy Spirit took their faith and made it efficacious which is known in theology as Efficacious Grace.)
A syntactical break is used between a “change of thinking” and “being baptized” in order to separate the two. The syntactical break includes the following: going from plural to the singular, from the 2nd person to the 3rd person and from the active voice to the passive voice. Thus, the second verb (to be baptized) is a command to be obeyed after the first verb (change your thinking) is executed. After a person had believed and had gained some knowledge of his salvation, he would execute the ritual of water baptism to demonstrate that he understood retroactive (identification with Christ on the cross) and current positional truth (identification with Christ in heaven).
This passage in Acts describes the Jewish Pentecost, but there was also the Samaritan (half Jew, half gentile) Pentecost as found in Acts 8, the gentile Pentecost as found in Acts 10 and finally in our passage the Old Testament believer-Pentecost (Acts 19). The Jews no longer had a monopoly over the spiritual modus operandi such as the priesthood, the temple, feast days etc. for it states in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek [gentile], there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Samaritan Pentecost: Acts 8:14-17, Now the apostles in Jerusalem hearing that Samaria had received the Word of God [had responded to the gospel and so had been regenerated] they sent Peter and John to them; (15) who when they [Peter and John] had come down [for the purpose of investigation], prayed concerning them [the new converts] that they might receive [potential: the apostles were not sure that the Samaritans would receive the same assets which were given on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem] the Holy Spirit [Sealing, Indwelling and the Filling of the Spirit, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts]. (Note: On the Day of Pentecost 30 AD and possibly for the next 20 years or so spiritual gifts were given by the Lord Jesus Christ as per Ephesians 4:7, 8. After which time, the Holy Spirit sovereignly distributes all spiritual gifts according to 1 Corinthians 12:11.) Peter and John at this point did not understand the potential of the Church age; they did not know that all races of peoples would be allowed to receive the same assets that Jews in Jerusalem received on the Day of Pentecost. (16) For as yet He had not fallen on any of them [the same as “receiving the Holy Spirit”], they were baptized [water baptism] only in the name of the Lord Jesus. [The ritual identification with Christ (water baptism) followed by the reality of being entered into Christ etc. Though the normal order of events in the early Church were first salvation and all the assets which pertain to it and then ritual baptism, the Samaritans after salvation through regeneration, received ritual baptism and then the laying on of hands and then received the remaining assets of the Church Age.] (17) Then they [Peter and John] laid their hands on them [Samaritan converts], and they received the Holy Spirit [the Filling of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts etc.];” [The laying on of their hands indicated that what happened on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem in 30 AD was happening in Samaria.]
The Gentile Pentecost at Caesarea: Acts 10:44-47, 11:14-16
Acts 10:44-47 states, “While Peter was still speaking these words [relating to the gospel], the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message [They received the Filling of the Spirit after they had responded to the gospel message by believing in Christ, in other words, they had responded to Common Grace resulting in Efficacious Grace.]. (45) All the circumcised believers [Jewish believers] who came with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. (46) For they were hearing them speaking with languages [they were all given the gift of languages as on the Day of Pentecost in 30 A.D.] and exalting God. Then Peter answered, (47) ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized [water baptism in the early Church] who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did [on the Day of Pentecost circa June 7, 30 AD), can he?’”
Peter relates to the Jews in Jerusalem what had taken place in Caesarea. Acts 11:14-16, “and he [Peter] will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and your entire household. And as I [Peter] began to speak [the presentation of the gospel to which Cornelius and his household responded by believing in Christ], the Holy Spirit fell upon them [the Filling of the Spirit, spiritual gifts etc.] just as he did upon us at the beginning [of the Church Age at the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem].
The Old Testament believer-Pentecost probably late in 53 A.D. (Acts 19:1-6):
When Paul arrived in Ephesus, he bumped into an unusual group of believers. These believers had not yet received the assets of the Church Age, the 40 things which the person receives when he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Three of which were specifically mentioned in the “Jewish Pentecost” namely the Indwelling and Filling of the Spirit and the distribution of a spiritual gift.) So, though living in the Church Age, they were operating under the assets of the Old Testament. This situation occurred because they had believed in Christ before the Church Age?
Acts 19:1: And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul [53 AD] having passed through the upper coast [the highlands] came to Ephesus [from the northeast] and found certain disciples [Jewish Old Testament-believers who had believed in Christ under the ministry of John the Baptist].
Apollos left Ephesus before Paul’s arrival and returned to Ephesus after Paul’s departure. The Lord led Paul to Ephesus after Apollos had left for Corinth since the Lord was going to use Pricilla and Aquila to help Apollos, not Paul (Acts 18:27-19:1). When Paul left Ephesus at the end of his 2nd missionary journey to return to Antioch, Syria, Pricilla and Aquila remained behind (Acts 18:19). A short time later Apollos, a Jewish Alexandrian came to Ephesus and began to teach boldly and eloquently in the synagogue. After hearing him, Pricilla and Aquila realized that Apollos was not up to date on church age doctrines. So, they pulled him aside privately and brought him up to date on these doctrines. It was not necessary for Apollos to meet Paul at this time, but it was very important for him to have met Pricilla and Aquila.
Acts 19:2: he [Paul] said to them, “Having believed did you receive the Holy Spirit [the Indwelling and the Filling of the Spirit]?” And they said to him, “We did not so much as hear whether there was [a ministry related to the] Holy Spirit.”
After Paul had a brief conversation with them, he became aware of their disorientation to the Church Age although the Church Age had begun some 23 years earlier. So, he asked a discerning question regarding whether or not they had been indwelt and Filled with the Holy Spirit at the point of their salvation. This Indwelling and Filling would have been accompanied by the distribution of spiritual gifts.
Acts 19:3: And he [Paul] said to them, “Therefore, on what basis did you receive [water] baptism?” And they said, “On the basis of John's baptism.” (A baptism before the Church Age to be distinguished from the pre-canon- baptism of the early church)
In the pre-canon period of the Church, in order to help Christians, understand Spirit Baptism (identification retroactively with the cross and currently with Christ in heaven as he is seated at the right hand of God the Father), a ritual was performed: believers were immersed into water illustrating their identification with Christ on the cross; coming out of the water represented their identification with Christ in heaven. Of course, once the epistle of Romans had been written, a new Christian no longer needed the ritual of water-baptism as a teaching aid since he could learn about Spirit Baptism through the teaching of Romans 6.
Regarding water baptism, if some pastor wants to use it as a teaching aid in explaining retroactive or current positional truth, it is quite okay. However, for a pastor to teach that water baptism is a requirement for salvation is just as blasphemous as to teach that circumcision or any other work is necessary for salvation.
Acts 19:4: Then Paul said, John baptized with a baptism characterized by [a cognate accusative with the genitive] a change of thinking [John only baptized those who had changed their mind about Christ and had believed], saying to the people that they should believe in the One coming after him [John, the Baptist], that is, in Jesus.
Acts 19:5: And having heard [what Paul had said], they were baptized [by God the Holy Spirit] into the person of the Lord Jesus [Spirit-Baptism: entered into union with Christ in heaven].
“For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Just as this prophecy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem so it was fulfilled with these twelve disciples in Ephesus at a later date. These believers had to be entered into union with Christ namely positional sanctification before their experiential sanctification namely the Filling of the Spirit and the function of their spiritual lives etc. could become operational. Thus, verse 6 follows verse 5.
Acts 19:6: And as Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them [the Indwelling and Filling of the Holy Spirit], and they spoke with foreign languages [communicated the gospel in some foreign language] and prophesied [about the content of truth and material not yet put into book form: a communicational gift necessary since the Bible had not yet been completed and circulated]. 19:7: And there were in all about twelve men.
The order as found in Acts 19:5, 6 is as follows:
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They received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
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They were identified with Paul through his laying his hands upon them.
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They received the Indwelling and the Filling of the Spirit.
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Their spiritual gifts became operational in this case, the Gift of Languages and the Gift of Prophecy.
Romans 12:9
Your love must not be hypocritical. Despise the evil; adhere to the good [X+Y+Z - advance to maturity].
Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος. ἀποστυγοῦντες τὸ πονηρόν, κολλώµενοι τῷ ἀγαθῷ·
True love is non-hypocritical. Love which puts on the facade of hypocrisy has no true mental attitude, no capacity for love, and no relaxed mental attitude. A person with a love without hypocrisy is able to face people, talk to people, be with people and be relaxed. In love it is not what you do but what you think, and therefore love is one of the great things in life. Love is a system of thought and lack of love is lack of thought. Bona fide doing is a reflection of virtuous thinking when no hypocrisy is involved. To pretend to be friendly and to have a mental attitude of jealousy or hatred, etc. is sheer hypocrisy.
Despise evil: Evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world; evil is the function of the old sin nature as the ruler of life. We are to detest, to loathe, to avoid evil.
Adhere to the good: The Greek verb kollao means to glue, to weld together, to unite, to copulate. In 1 Corinthians 6:16 it means to associate in intimate terms with someone so that you cling to them. In the New Testament this verb is not found in the active voice, only in the middle and passive voice. The verb is used for sexual intercourse, as in Ephesians 5:31. But this is not talking about sex here in this verse, it is talking about a principle. When the object of a verb is a concept, it means to adhere. The command to adhere to the good refers to giving Bible doctrine number 1 priority in the life: the first common sense application of the Christian life. This is the only way to adhere to the good and to survive distractions to doctrine. Furthermore, adhering to the good refers to the function of the royal family of God honor-code.
Romans 12:10
With reference to your brotherly love [impersonal or unconditional love] be devoted to each other, with reference to your honor, esteem others more highly than yourselves.
τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι, τῇ τιµῇ ἀλλήλους προηγούµενοι,
A general statement: Brotherly love in the royal family of God is not demonstrative, not emotional, not friendly. It is a recognition of two things: the imputation of divine righteousness at salvation and respect for that righteousness as a part of the application. It is recognition of the privacy of the royal priesthood, fulfilling of the royal family honour code. This is not hypocrisy, instead it is a relaxed mental attitude toward other believers.
The execution of the honor-code: The honor-code of the Royal Family demands that each believer avoids maligning, judging, pettiness, nit-picking, implacable malicious criticism, and in general avoids putting down another member of the royal family of God. There is no place for inordinate competition, no place for the expression of hang-ups. The very existence of the royal family in the Church Age demands an honor-code. It is a code in which deference and precedence is converted into the privacy of the royal priesthood. Each believer functioning under the honor-code respects the residence of God’s righteousness in other believers by avoiding mental and verbal sins and therefore living and letting live.
Romans 12:11
With reference to diligence [in the application of doctrine] do not be negligent; with reference to the Holy Spirit, be zealous [stay under the authority of the Spirit via the Filling] when serving the Lord;
τῇ σπουδῇ µὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύµατι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες,
Distinguishing between the two commissions of the Royal Family of God: The function of the priesthood emphasizes advancing to maturity; the function of ambassadorship emphasizes serving the Lord.
1. No production in the Christian life is designed to obtain blessing from God, rather all production is the function of the royal ambassadorship of the believer. Therefore, production in the Christian life is a manifestation of God’s appointment of each believer to the status of royal ambassador.
2. All blessing from God is imputed from the attribute of justice to the attribute of divine righteousness when there is capacity. Therefore, any form of production as a means of blessing is excluded. Another words, God never blesses based on what the Christian does.
3. The imputation of blessing in time occurs when the believer has the capacity for such blessing through the attainment of maturity adjustment to the integrity of God.
4. The royal family honor-code excludes all forms of Christian works or production from being a source of divine blessing. Nothing the believer does, legitimate or legalistic, can bring blessing from God.
5. In summary, there are many Biblical commands to service and production, but these commands are related to the function of ambassadorship and not the means of blessing the believer. Christian service and production are a sign of advance in the Christian life but not the means of advance. Only Bible doctrine resident in the soul can advance the believer.
Romans 12:12
With reference to the hope [the confidence of Escrow Blessings in eternity] be rejoicing, with reference to the pressure of undeserved suffering, persevere [stand fast]; persist in prayer [extemporaneous and scheduled prayer with emphasis on private prayers],
τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίροντες, τῇ θλίψει ὑποµένοντες, τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες,
Escrow as applied to the Christian:
1. An escrow as applied to the Christian is a written agreement entered into by three parties, the grantor [God the Father], the grantee [you], and the depositary [our Lord Jesus Christ as the escrow officer], for the transfer of certain benefits.
2. The sealed agreement of God the Father as the grantor, to be conveyed, is made contingent on some future happening or on the performance of some act by the grantee, and is delivered to the depositary and held by him, the escrow officer pending the occurrence of that event or the performance of the required act by the grantee [the Christian when he obtains spiritual maturity].
3. When the event has taken place or the grantee has performed the specified act, the depositary [in this case the Lord Jesus Christ] delivers to him [the mature believer] the agreement and the deposit [of the Escrow Blessings].
4. The depositary or custodian [in this case the Lord Jesus Christ] is allowed no discretion, but must follow strictly the terms of the agreement as it concerns the other two parties [namely the Grantor and the Grantee].
5. The date of our escrow blessings is eternity past.
6. The conditions of the escrow are fulfilled by us in the execution of the unique spiritual life of the Church Age.
Scripture:
1. The sealed agreement of God the Father as the grantor is found in the verses which use the phrase “the riches of His glory” or the phrase, “spiritual blessing in heavenly places” as in Ephesians 1:2-3, “Grace to you for your benefit and prosperity [escrow blessings] from God the Father [the grantor of the Escrow Blessings] and our Lord Jesus Christ [the depositary for escrow blessings]. Worthy of praise and glorification is the God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing [Escrow Blessings] in heavenly places in Christ.”
2. Ephesians 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart [your stream of consciousness] may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the confidence of His calling, what are the riches of the glory [Escrow Blessings] of His inheritance to the saints.”
3. Ephesians 3:16, “that He would give you on the basis of the riches of His glory [Escrow Blessings] to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner person.”
4. Colossians 1:27, “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of the mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the confidence of glory [receiving Escrow Blessings].”
5. In 1 Corinthians 2:9, escrow blessings are a part of our portfolio of invisible assets, “However, as it stands written, ‘Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.’”
6. This same principle existed for the Jeshurun [experientially righteous] believers of the Old Testament, Proverbs 8:18, “With me [the personification of Bible doctrine] are riches and honor [for time], enduring wealth and prosperity [receiving Escrow Blessings for eternity].”
7. The escrow blessings deposited by God the Father in eternity past are called in Ephesians 3:8, “the inexhaustible riches in [with] Christ.” Our escrow blessings have been deposited with Christ.
The Analogy to the Eternal Escrow.
1. There is an eternal escrow and there are three parties in that escrow. The grantor is God the Father, who has placed Himself under legal obligation in eternity past to provide two categories of special and unusual blessings, both temporal and eternal, for the grantee, the believer who fulfills the protocol plan of God. The depositary or custodian is God the Son. In eternity past, both categories of blessings were deposited with our Lord Jesus Christ in escrow, pending the grantee’s future advance to spiritual maturity. The grantee is the Church Age believer. Under the protocol plan of God and the sovereign will of God, expressed in the doctrine of election, the Church Age believer is obligated to fulfill the contingency prior to the transfer of blessings from escrow.
2. Temporal blessings on deposit are transferred to the believer when he reaches spiritual maturity and again at the passing of Evidence Testing, not to be confused with logistical grace blessings given to all believers.
3. Eternal blessings are transferred to the mature believer after the Rapture at the Judgment Seat of Christ, where the winner is awarded special rewards.
4. Sharing the righteousness of Christ is the target or basis for the transfer of Escrow Blessings in time; glorification in resurrection body is the target or basis for the transfer of eternal Escrow Blessings.
Amplification of the Escrow Analogy.
1. In eternity past, the blessings deposited in escrow were made contingent on the future performance of the obligee. In other words, your advance to spiritual maturity in the protocol plan of God is the contingent for the transfer of your blessings out of escrow to you.
2. Spiritual maturity is the point that we leave behind the lesser blessings of logistical grace and move into the sphere of the superior blessings.
3. Therefore, when the grantee, under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and momentum from metabolized doctrine, attains spiritual maturity, he receives the first installment of blessings from the depositary, Jesus Christ which installment is increased at passing Evidence Testing. The second installment is conveyed to him at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
4. In summary, God the Father is the grantor. He delivered in eternity past to God the Son, the depositary, both temporal and eternal blessings for every believer in compatibility with His sovereign desire in election. This is the Magna Charta of Christianity.
5. These blessings are held by Christ as the depositary, pending the grantee’s fulfillment of the protocol plan of God.
6. The temporal blessings in escrow must not be confused with logistical grace blessings. Ephesians 3:20 describes these greater blessings as “exceedingly abundantly above all we could ever ask or think.” By contrast, logistical grace blessings are sustaining blessings.
7. God’s highest and best is in escrow for you, and He has provided you with equal privilege in the royal family of God and equal opportunity in the protocol plan of God to receive these escrow blessings.
Election, Predestination, and Escrow Blessings.
1. The sealed agreement of eternity past is therefore analogous to a modern escrow. The grantor, God the Father, deposited these two categories of blessing in escrow for every believer, pending his advance to spiritual maturity by the use of His equal privilege and equal opportunity.
2. In coordination with these special blessings deposited with our Lord Jesus Christ as the depositary, God the Father elected the believer for these blessings in eternity past.
3. God the Father willed the highest and best for every believer and put that highest and best into escrow before He elected that highest and best. In other words, He showed His good faith by depositing in escrow your highest and best first. Then, He elected us, giving us equal privilege and equal opportunity, along with the protocol plan of God as the vehicle of conveyance.
4. Under predestination, God provided the protocol plan of God as the means of conveyance, the means of the grantee performing the required act namely reaching spiritual maturity to receive these blessings.
5. The combination of escrow blessings, election, and predestination in eternity past guarantees the conveyance of those blessings to any Church Age believer who is a winner.
6. Not all grantees are winners. In human history, the sovereignty of God and the free will of man coexist by divine decree. You can use your free will to completely fail to receive these blessings. Therefore, in eternity there will be winners and losers, rich and poor forever. The tragedy of this is that all believers have the equal privilege and opportunity to receive their escrow.
7. The righteousness of God demands escrow blessings from the justice of God to any believer who executes the spiritual life. The righteousness of God demands that every believer have equal opportunity to execute God’s plan and receive escrow blessings. The justice of God guarantees that this happens.
The Spiritually Rich and the Spiritually Poor.
1. The spiritually rich are those winners in the protocol plan of God who receive the transfer of their blessings from the escrow.
2. The spiritually poor are losers in the cosmic system who are still supported by God’s logistical grace. Although they have equal privilege and equal opportunity, they will not receive their escrow blessings simply because they’re negative, through either ignorance or cognizance.
3. The spiritually poor cannot lose their salvation and will receive their resurrection body at the Rapture, but they will not receive their escrow blessings at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
4. In this context of the escrow, cosmic believers are double losers and the poorer for it. Their first loss is in time. Though they had equal privilege and opportunity at salvation, they failed to fulfill the protocol plan of God. Hence, their escrow blessings for time remain on deposit forever as a memorial to their failure. They are a double loser because, as a result, they won’t receive their eternal escrow blessings either.
5. Hence, losers are under divine discipline in life. Although their names are still recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they are omitted from the honor’s list in eternity.
6. Logistical grace extends equal opportunity to every believer, beginning on the day of his salvation, to receive his escrow blessings. Every believer is kept alive by logistical grace long enough so that he could become a winner.
7. Therefore, every loser is a loser by his own decisions. Every believer must take the responsibility for his own decisions in eternity future.
8. Some believers exploit the equal opportunity of election and predestination and fulfill the protocol plan of God in time. Losers do not. At the Judgment Seat of Christ aka the Evaluation Throne of Christ, they become double losers.
9. Time provides the opportunity for the grantee to attain God’s highest and best under election.
Relation Back Doctrine.
1. This legal doctrine states that the escrow is irrevocable from the date of deposit into escrow.
2. That which God the Father deposits into escrow with our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be withheld from us once we have fulfilled the obligations of reaching spiritual maturity.
3. We must fulfill the obligations of the escrow document prior to the distribution of our escrow blessings.
4. The date of deposit (eternity past) is the date of irrevocability. The date of conveyance is the date of the fulfillment of the conditions--the day you reach spiritual maturity.
5. If the conditions are not fulfilled in time, then the escrow blessings remain in escrow forever as a memorial to lost equal opportunity. The loser believer can see his escrow blessings on deposit in heaven forever as a memorial to equal opportunity. The loser believer does not lose his salvation, but does lose his escrow blessings for time and eternity. He will live forever in heaven with only lesser blessings.
Concluding Principles.
1. The fulfillment of the protocol plan of God in time leads to a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom.
2. This dramatizes the importance of the spiritual life under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and the consistent perception of doctrine and its spiritual metabolism.
3. Nothing dramatizes the protocol plan of God more than the spiritual blessings held in the eternal escrow.
4. What brings your blessings out of escrow?
a. Stay in the protocol plan of God; quickly use the Recovery Procedure to get back into fellowship after sinning.
b. Remain under the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
c. Metabolize the doctrine you learn.
5. How will you know when you’re in spiritual maturity? One way is to recognize your spiritual blessings! Also, if you know God’s mandates and keep them, then you will know that you are in spiritual maturity.
6. Your escrow blessings are actually a conveyance from the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, the depositary, to the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ in you by virtue of your union with Him.
7. The challenge is found in Hebrews 10:35-36, “Therefore, do not throw away as worthless your confidence, which keeps on having great distribution of blessing. For you keep on having need of perseverance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive the deposit [the escrow deposit] which was promised.” The greater blessings in life are not a matter of prayer, but the execution of the unique spiritual life of the Church Age.
Undeserved Suffering: “with reference to the pressure of undeserved suffering, persevere [stand fast]”
“Standing fast in undeserved suffering.” For the most part, undeserved suffering occurs in the adult stage of spiritual growth whereas punitive suffering occurs in spiritual childhood. The paragraph below is taken from pages 1, 2 of the booklet ‘Christian Suffering’ by R. B. Thieme Jr.
THE BIBLE EXPLAINS SUFFERING and reveals powerful divine assets for coping with adversity. No believer in Jesus Christ should remain ignorant of the causes and solutions to any difficulty in his life. Suffering is not inexplicable. Every instance of suffering has a reason, an explanation, and a solution. Christian suffering can be most clearly understood in relation to the individual believer’s spiritual growth. From this perspective, adversities may be classified into five categories. Two categories are typical of spiritual childhood; three characterize spiritual adulthood. The two categories of suffering in spiritual childhood are punitive. The three in spiritual adulthood are designed by God for blessing. This study will examine the problems and divine solutions connected with self-induced misery, divine discipline, [bad judgment] providential preventive suffering, momentum testing, and evidence testing. These five categories, which will be defined in due course, account for all suffering in the Christian life. The correlation of punitive suffering with spiritual childhood and of suffering for blessing with spiritual adulthood is not a rigid distinction. Some suffering for blessing occurs in spiritual childhood, and punitive suffering can hit the spiritually adult believer when he sins or makes bad decisions. The general pattern, however, gives us a basis for understanding the pressures in our lives.
Five points regarding suffering:
1. There is a far greater power in the Problem-Solving Devices deployed for action against suffering than the power of suffering.
2. Therefore, what suffering God does not remove, he intends for us to bear, not through the function of prayer, but through the Problem-Solving Devices.
3. The Problem-Solving Devices deployed on the FLOT line (forward line of troops) of the soul are designed to deal with every category of suffering in life.
4. If the suffering is designed for one’s spiritual growth, remove the suffering and you remove the potential spiritual growth and blessing.
5. Suffering is often an FTX (field training exercise), a field training exercise for gaining spiritual strength and growth. Thus, the need to apply one of the Problem-Solving Devices.
Romans 12:13
Contribute to the need of the saints, be pursuing hospitality.
ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνοῦντες, τὴν φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες.
At first this may seem to indicate providing funds for other Christians. Though this is not excluded, the primary way a Christian benefits other Christians is by reaching spiritual maturity. A mature believer will be prospered in so many ways that he will be in a position to be gracious and generous and helpful to others. Furthermore, every mature believer has people associated with him, believers and unbelievers, who receive blessing as a result of this association. This is one of the reasons why the wicked prosper. Mature believers very presence in the local church or in a business etc. is a means of blessing; their very presence becomes the basis of blessing by association. All believers are blessed when mature believers are in their periphery.
Romans 12:14
Speak well of those who persecute you; keep on speaking well and stop cursing them [objective thinking through metabolized doctrine].
εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς διώκοντας, εὐλογεῖτε καὶ µὴ καταρᾶσθε [present middle imperative].
The present tense is a descriptive present, sometimes called a pictorial present because it presents to the mind a picture of events in the process of occurrence—being under great pressure of persecution and speaking well of the persecutors. The advanced or mature believer produces the action of the verb as a part of his objectivity and poise. To be objective where your enemies are concerned is certainly a great test of objectivity. Poise and presence under persecution always leaves the matter in the Lord’s hands so that the integrity of God can deal directly with the matter. “Speak well of those who persecute you” does not mean that every time someone runs you down you have to say something nice about that person. It merely indicates that the pressure from this is not reaching your soul; the self-consciousness is not damaged by the pressure; your mentality understands it. So, if that person happens to be mentioned, you do not run down that person; there is no self-pity or bitterness in your soul to motivate such a course of action. It doesn’t mean that you always speak, but what you think is indicated by what you say.
“Stop cursing them” means to curse, to implicate, to wish evil. It is an antagonistic attitude. This is an aoristic present for sinful emotional reaction under pressure. The Roman Christians are cursing their persecutors which cursing needs to stop. Only the mature believer, who has complete control over his emotions, can obey this imperative of prohibition. You cannot become antagonistic in pressure situations and still think, and think you must under pressure (and you must think under pressure).
A few points for clarification:
1. There is no greater test of poise and objectivity than when the believer is under the fire of antagonism and persecution.
2. The advanced Christian puts the matter into the Lord’s hands; he recognizes the function of the integrity of God as far more capable of dealing with the matter than he is.
3. Furthermore, such hostility and persecution are designed for the believer’s advance under the concept of undeserved suffering.
4. Undeserved suffering is that laser beam which penetrates the barriers of time into the eternal future as it ignites and stimulates confidence in God’s plan and eternity future with Him.
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
χαίρειν µετὰ χαιρόντων, κλαίειν µετὰ κλαιόντων.
In this verse, the rejoicing is not related to arrogance and the weeping is not related self-pity. This is commanding rapport with like-minded believers. Rapport means relationship, a relationship of harmony, conformity, accord, and affinity. It means to share the same capacity for life, mental attitude, integrity and esprit de corps. Regarding rejoicing, the present tense is an aoristic present, meaning they aren’t going to rejoice very long but while they are happy, you can be in compatibility with their mood of the moment. Rapport depends on the filling of the Spirit, and doctrine resident in the stream of consciousness. There is no rapport without mutual positive volition toward doctrine. Doctrine is the basis for true rapport.
Rapport with those who are suffering or in agony requires even more doctrine than the first command. So, really it is an advance. If people are sad or are suffering for some reason, and you walk in, you cannot have rapport with them unless you are an adult believer. This doesn’t mean to work up a cry, it has to do with the person who has spiritual depth from the honor-code, depth from doctrine, to enter into the same mood, to slip in and be a part of the picture without being ridiculous. This is simply harmony and rapport for believers in their time of trouble. It is rapport of sympathy which does not include any emotional binge in which self-pity is encouraged so that one feels sorry for himself.
Romans 12:16
Be thinking the same mental attitude toward each other, do not be thinking in terms of arrogance [in terms of inordinate ambition], but associate with humble people [those advancing in their spiritual lives]. Stop being wise in your own estimation.
τὸ αὐτὸ εἰς ἀλλήλους φρονοῦντες, µὴ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονοῦντες ἀλλὰ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόµενοι. µὴ γίνεσθε φρόνιµοι παρí ἑαυτοῖς.
A few points for clarification:
1. To assume what you are not is to be what you cannot be.
2. To be what you cannot be, is to not be what God wants you to be.
3. Arrogance and resultant snobbishness keeps the believer off-balance and disoriented to the plan of God.
4. By not being arrogant and conceited, the believer has removed the barrier to be what God wants him to be as royal family under the honor-code.
5. Inordinately ambitious believers are incapable of genuine affection, of having a relaxed mental attitude.
6. Christians with inordinate ambition are either trying to prove something or gain something.
7. Arrogant people are poor lovers, poor achievers, and disoriented people.
8. The grace mental attitude from maximum doctrine resident in the soul avoids the pitfalls of arrogance and disassociation from reality.
9. Capacity for life demands cognizance of the imperatives of this verse.
10. The Christian must first have a wonderful relationship with the members of the Trinity before he is able to establish a good relationship with people.
Romans 12:17
Never pay back [render] evil for evil [based on revenge motivation]. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all mankind [adhere to the Laws of Establishment as found in Codex 1 and 3 of the Mosaic Law].
µηδενὶ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἀποδιδόντες· προνοούµενοι καλὰ ἐνώπιον πάντων ἀνθρώπων·
“Never pay back evil for evil:” The word “render” means to recompense or pay back. There are three categories in this regard: The demonized person repays evil for good; The normal person repays evil for evil and good for good; The advanced Christian repays good for evil. So, to replace good for evil is to place injustice into the Lord’s hands instead lusting to retaliate.
Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance is Mine, and retribution. In due time, their foot will slip for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15, “See that no one repay to someone evil for evil, but always pursue the good [intrinsic good produced when the believer is functioning under the two power options and executing the spiritual life], both towards one another [believers] and towards all [unbelievers].
A few points for clarification:
1. Revenge and retaliation is a major violation of the royal family honor code.
2. First, it causes the positive or mature believer to abandon his own standards, the royal family honor code, by violating the privacy of another’s priesthood.
3. Secondly, it results in the mature believer lowering his own standards to that of the apostate.
4. To lower one’s self to someone else’s standards by taking revenge is tantamount to blasphemy: failure to trust the integrity of God to do the job.
5. Furthermore, this becomes a distraction to the perception and application of doctrine which hinders the possibility of the believer advancing to maturity and keeps the mature believer from progressing from one stage of maturity to the next.
6. Further, it brings down divine discipline on the believer who tries to seek revenge, to retaliate.
7. Evil is the standard and the function of the reversionistic believer. Therefore, evil must be avoided at all times.
8. Revenge and retaliation abandons the royal family honor code in favor of the function of evil.
9. Arrogant retaliation brings down tremendous discipline from the justice of God for interfering with the function of divine justice.
“Respect what is honorable” introduces Establishment and the Ten Commandments:
The Decalogue is found in Exodus 20:1-17. As these commandments are written in our English Bible, they are prefaced by the phrase, "You shall not," which is the imperfect tense in Hebrew used as the imperative. The phrase indicates the believer's responsibility in protecting human freedom through compliance with the Laws of Divine Establishment. The Decalogue doesn't deal with the subject of sin per se but with the subject of human freedom. It just so happens that certain sins are an attack on human freedom. Therefore, these two subjects come together in the Decalogue.
The Ten Commandments define human freedom in terms of attitude toward God, people, and property: just a brief statement about each.
The first commandment is not only a prohibition of idolatry, but national recognition that Jesus Christ controls history. "You shall have no other gods before Me.”
The second commandment: While the first commandment prohibits mental or soul idolatry, the second prohibits overt idolatry, "You shall not make for yourself an idol.” Demonism destroys human freedom, while overt idolatry destroys a nation.
The third commandment prohibits the use of taking the name of the Lord God in vain. This means to use God as a front for your lying, cheating, stealing, or perjury. God's name is used properly in worship, prayer, praise, thanksgiving, the expression of personal love for God, and doctrinal communication. God's name should not be used to persuade people into a false position. God's name is not to be used for human projects which allege the will of God. “It is God’s will that we do this.”
The fourth commandment is a memorial to the grace of God. The Sabbath recognizes that people who work for a living must have time to rest. Doing nothing is a reminder of grace. Just as the body needs rest for function, so man needs rest for freedom. Man with no rest becomes a slave. He has no opportunity to exercise his freedom and personal volition in relationship to time.
The fifth commandment establishes the principle of authority under the Laws of Divine Establishment. The first authority in life is that of parents. "Respect your father and mother that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives to you." Recognition of authority is the basic principle of orientation to life. Recognition of authority is the secret to a long healthy life and it all begins with respect for one’s parents.
The sixth commandment emphasizes the establishment principle of live and let live. "You shall not murder." Killing is authorized for capital punishment and for those in the military fighting for freedom. Murder on the other hand is not only a sin but the basic violation of human freedom. The right to live under God is removed when a person is murdered. If you intrude on God's right to take life in His timing, you violate the Laws of Divine Establishment and commit the worst overt sin.
The seventh commandment "You shall not commit adultery." Adultery is the voluntary act of sexual intercourse of a married person with someone other than his or her lawful spouse. Adultery refers to sexual activity outside the divine institution of marriage. Sex was designed by God to be an expression of love inside a marriage between a husband and wife. Therefore, adultery is both a sin and an attack on human freedom. Capacity for love and life is distorted and ruined, so that adultery not only abuses freedom, but destroys the possibility for happiness in life.
The eighth commandment emphasizes the right of private property under the Laws of Divine Establishment. A person’s property is sacred just because someone has accumulated wealth under the free-market system does not mean you have the right to steal either directly or indirectly via legislation. It belongs to them. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy, or successful. It is not anti-Christian. Some people will become wealthy under free enterprise. "You shall not steal." Thus, stealing is a sin, a crime, and a violation of the Laws of Divine Establishment. The command demands that government protect both the lives and property of those in the nation.
No one has the right to steal. Stealing is a basic disorientation to life. People who have accumulated things in life have a right to those things. When oriented to life, you never have to steal even to stay alive. When you are tempted to steal, that is a warning that you are not oriented to life. Legislators in governments steal through high taxes and inflation. In effect these governmental officials are functioning as criminals.
The ninth commandment emphasizes the protection of human freedom through objectivity in the function of the law. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Laws of evidence demand truth in courtroom testimony. This verbal sin is sinful and anti- establishment. Hearsay is not admissible as testimony. You can't live and let live and gossip at the same time. Law cannot function objectively with perjury; society cannot live objectively where gossip and maligning goes unchecked.
The tenth commandment demands restraint on the lust pattern of the old sin nature. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Establishment:
Freedom is necessary. God has ordained certain laws for the survival and freedom of the human race during the course of human history. Anarchy exists when the citizens of a nation ignore these laws. The Laws of Divine Establishment provide the necessary freedom to fulfill the divine plan as ordained in the divine decree under many types of government and are designed and directed toward both believer and unbeliever and operate from the fall of man to the Second Advent, as well as in the Millennium. These laws directly affect freedom, civilization, authority, evangelism, spiritual growth, and the perpetuation of the human race. They are as important to us as is the law of gravity. There is no such thing as the enjoyment of life or freedom without authority. Both the privacy of the individual and the function of legitimate authority are necessary for the function of human freedom.
The Laws of Divine Establishment define freedom in terms of privacy, property and authority. Therefore, the four divine institutions namely the individual, marriage, family, and nationalism are the basis for the Laws of Divine Establishment.
The Divine Institutions.
The First Divine Institution is the Individual and the use of his volition is his authority which volition is one of the components of the soul which is made up of self-consciousness, a conscience which must be filled with divine norms and standards, a mentality which operates through the biological brain, and volition as the authority of the soul. (The spark or breath of life is imputed to biological life at birth resulting in a soul having life which we call human life. Remember that in the Garden, God breathed into the biological life of Adam the breath of life, a spark of His own life which resulted in a soul having life aka human life. At the point of one’s death, this soul having everlasting life will be transferred to an interim body until the Rapture at which time the soul having everlasting life will be transferred into the resurrection body.)
Freedom does not imply equality. While people are not born equal or live in equality, they must have freedom of choice and the right to live in a free society pursuing a course of action compatible with their own aspirations or lack of the same. You have a right to go as far as your abilities and motivations will take you. If the individual uses his volition to adhere to the Laws of Establishment and avoids arrogance, he will develop great capacity for life, with humility and integrity. If he should be a Christian who has advanced spiritually all the way to spiritual maturity, he will be qualified for the next divine institution namely marriage along with the unbeliever who has developed his capacity from the Laws of Establishment only.
The Second Divine Institution is Marriage with the authority vested in the husband. Monogamy is a permanent relationship between one man and one woman as ordained by God to remind mankind that He has from the beginning a design. In other words, if God intends for a man to get married, he will bring the right woman to him at the right time as per Genesis 3:22-24, “and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he fashioned [literally built] into a woman and brought her to the man [The Lord brings the woman to the man at the right time]. (23) Then, the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh [the same species]; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out from Man.’ (24) Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother [form their own corporation] and have sexual intercourse with his wife, and they become one flesh.”
Their relationship, established in the garden, was continued after the fall. It has never been cancelled in any generation. Thus, marriage is the most basic and fundamental organization in the human race. Even the unbeliever, whose life is a total failure, can have great temporary happiness by marrying the right woman, Ecclesiastes 9:9, “Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life [describes the life of the unbeliever] which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil [his occupation] in which you have labored under the sun.”
Marriage is the basis for stability in society and for the formation of civilization. Marriage rejects the theory of revolution, anarchy, promiscuousness, or communal living. It is the protection for the home where the parents exercise authority over the children.
The Third Divine Institution is the Family with the authority vested in the parents. God has provided certain divine laws, such as the authority of the parents, to protect, care, nourish, provide, train, and discipline children to prepare them for a normal life. Children must be trained to respect the privacy, property, and rights of others, not to abuse freedom, and to have respect for authority. Furthermore, parents must teach poise, objectivity, respect for police, patriotism, and their sons, the willingness to serve in order to protect national freedom. Christian parents must also evangelize and provide pre-doctrinal training for their children, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. (7) You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (8) You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (9) You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” It is the responsibility of parents not only to instill respect for the Word of God, but also the recognition of the authority of their pastor-teacher.
The Fourth Divine Institution is Nationalism. If the entire human race were under one rule with the exception of the Millennial reign of Christ, it would self-destruct. To perpetuate the human race and bring history to its logical conclusion, God has designed the nation to protect the freedom and rights of its citizenry. The formation of the Jewish nation set up the perfect standard of what a national entity should be. The Biblical proof that nationalism is authorized by God is found in Genesis 10:5, “From these the coastland peoples spread. These are the sons of Japheth in their lands, each with his own language, by their families, in their nations.” Deuteronomy 32:8, “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel.”
All nations who follow the norms and standards of divine establishment possess the following characteristics.
1. Interior protection of freedom is provided through a proper system of law enforcement, jurisprudence, and a system of law whereby a person is innocent until proved guilty, where only proper testimony is allowed and no hearsay is permitted, and where double jeopardy does not exist.
2. The exterior protection of freedom comes through a strong, well-prepared military.
3. A government of whatever category must protect the freedoms and rights of its citizens without interfering with those rights by the illegal use of power.
4. An economy must be based on free enterprise and capitalism. Labor has no right to dictate the policy of management. Smart management always takes good care of its workers however. Government, labor, or criminals do not have the right to superimpose their policy on management. The separation of business and state is an important distinction.
5. There must be a system of common law which prohibits crime and thereby protects the freedom, rights, life, and property of individuals. It must be a system of law which does not overstep the law by using the law to try to solve social problems. Law, therefore, must always be objective. Subjective distortion of the law uses legislation to invade individual rights, to steal personal property, and to erode human freedom; all in the name of the common good.
6. There must be a common culture which reflects the spiritual life, morality, esprit de corps, nobility, patriotism, and integrity of a nation through its literature, art, music, and drama.
7. There should be a system of government which functions under its power without abusing its power to destroy freedom and establishment. There should be an administrative body to represent the functions of taxation, law enforcement, honorable jurisprudence, maintenance of the military, and enforcement of law and order without the destruction of human freedom.
8. All of this is designed by God so He can always have a client nation.
The following was penned by R. B. Thieme Jr.
Apostasy in the Land
In times of apostasy government seeks to control its citizens from the cradle to the grave. Free men are treated as criminals, and criminals are treated as free men. Freedom of thought, decision, and speech by which the Gospel and Bible doctrine are communicated merge into the shadows of tyranny and slavery.
The tentacles of socialism and bureaucracy strangle and destroy free enterprise. Freedom to succeed or fail in life through one's own motivation and decisions is neutralized.
Individuals no longer take the responsibility for their own decisions and actions. Apostasy and evil, along with dishonesty and hypocrisy, immorality and greed, power lust and racial prejudice, become the tools of politicians and the dissension of the hoi polloi.
The heritage of regeneration is traded for Esau's mess of pottage. The glory of God is exchanged for the arrogance of the social gospel.
These historical trends provide a system of temptation luring the born-again believer into that sphere of emotion combined with arrogance called Christian activism. The plan of God is buried in the potter's field of whitewashing the devil's world.
Believers in Jesus Christ are distracted from God's will, plan, and purpose for the Church Age by trying to reform Caesar and ignore God. Suddenly God's plan for the believer is covered with the spider webs of neglect and put in the mothballs of false doctrine.
Spiritual values related to Bible doctrine are exchanged for chasing butterflies whose gossamer wings carry the heavy burden of redistribution of wealth all the way back to the island called Utopia.
The Supreme Court of Heaven sends bolts of lightning in the form of the law of volitional responsibility and divine punitive action to the wayward children of God.
When this punitive suffering called divine discipline is ignored, and carnality is perpetuated, the loser-believer marches to the beat of a different drum and gets his bugle calls from the cacophony of heavy metal and hard rock.
What is the legacy to the generations of apostasy in this great dispensation called the Church Age? The sin unto death! They are entombed in the barren field of spiritual failure where once that fertile field of metabolized Bible doctrine produced the remnant according to the election of grace–invisible heroes fulfilling the will of God through the spiritual mechanics of the plan of God for the Church.
But now unbroken clods of human lust bury the loser-believer in the tragedy of lost opportunity for becoming winner-believers and invisible heroes.
The only bulwark against the onslaught of apostasy in the land is the believer advancing to spiritual maturity.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)
Romans 12:18
If it is possible, and it is, as much as it depends on you live in harmony with all men [people in your periphery: live and let live].
εἰ δυνατόν, τὸ ἐξ ὑµῶν µετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες·
“If it is possible [and it is].” All of the potentialities and the possibilities of life are possible but they are impossible to the extent that you are ignorant of doctrine, for it is knowledge of doctrine that gives capacity for life, capacity for happiness, capacity for blessing, capacity for everything that is worthwhile. Without capacity everything in life is meaningless. To do your part, to obey the command of the apodosis [the concluding clause], it is necessary to rebound, to be Filled with the Spirit, and to take in doctrine consistently.
This results in living under the honor code of loving all people which means a relaxed mental attitude toward all believers and unbelievers. Living in harmony means that you have to be very thoughtful of others. You have to have sensitivity about other people. You have to get away from being selfish and self-centred. Harmony demands as its basic fundamental that you recognize the privacy of other people.
However, it is not always possible to live in harmony with all people because they do not live under the royal family honor code. Therefore, when it is impossible to live in harmony with others then other principles must apply, ranging from separation to excommunication.
Romans 12:19
Stop avenging yourselves, beloved ones, instead give place to the punishment from the justice of God, for it stands written [a quote from Deuteronomy 32:35], "Punishment belongs to me, I will repay, says the Lord."
µὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικοῦντες, ἀγαπητοί, ἀλλὰ δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ, γέγραπται γάρ, Ἐµοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω, λέγει κύριος.
A few points for clarification:
1. By leaving the matter in the Lord’s hands perfect justice will be administered by perfect God.
2. When the believer takes personal retaliation, he takes the matter out of the Lord’s hands.
3. The royal family honor code demands that the matter be placed in the Lord’s hands for satisfaction. Personal satisfaction from revenge is no satisfaction, but only invites punitive action from the integrity of God.
4. Most honor codes of aristocracy demand satisfaction through duelling, but the honor code of the royal family demands that satisfaction be administered by the justice of God.
5. The justice of God possesses all the facts and never makes an error in judgment.
6. All royal family squabbles demand the action of the integrity of God rather than revenge or retaliatory tactics of imperfect human beings.
7. Two wrongs do not make a right. Retaliation is the prerogative of divine integrity, therefore to add wrong to wrong brings down divine wrath and punitive action on your own head rather than divine discipline on the one who wronged you.
8. The royal family honor code demands that all retaliation and all revenge be left to the function of the justice of God.
9. Psalm 94:1, 2, “O Lord God of vengeance; the God of vengeance has shown forth. Rise up O judge of the earth; render recompense to the arrogant.” Isaiah 33:22 – “The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will deliver us.”
10. Justice belongs to the God of justice. God has the monopoly on justice and does not need our help in the function of retaliation and punishment.
11. Therefore, it is part of the royal family honor code and an extension of the faith-rest technique to leave punishment in the hands of perfect God who administers perfect justice.
12. The royal family honor code emphasizes the privacy of the believer to live his own life as unto the Lord. This includes punishment and discipline.
13. By taking the matter into one’s own hands means interference with the justice of God and violation of the privacy of the royal priesthood.
14. Revenge or retaliation is therefore a direct violation of the royal family honor code. When you violate the honor code, you are punished by God.
15. Under the honor code you cannot work for blessing, nor retaliate for revenge.
16. The justice of God has monopoly on both blessing and cursing.
Romans 12:20
So, if your enemy [the one hostile to you] is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him a drink, for by doing this you will pile up burning coals of fire on his head [bring divine judgement on him from the Supreme court of Heaven].
ἀλλὰ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώµιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.
Why are we told to feed this person? It has nothing to do with socialism. This has to do with someone who is personally antagonistic toward you. It means that the royal family honor code has a system of function which is far greater than any morality that has ever been put down on paper, including the Ten Commandments. Only the believer with maximum doctrine in his soul can feed his enemy and have the correct motivation in doing so. This is far beyond what the Laws of Divine Establishment demand of us. It doesn’t necessarily mean to feed him by having dinner with him, though that is one way of doing it. It can be accomplished by giving him food or supplying him food.
A few points for clarification:
1. The modus operandi of the Royal Family Honor Code demands grace function. By feeding a hungry enemy the positive/mature believer leaves all hostility in the hands of the Lord.
2. This dependence on the integrity of God to deal with your enemies rather than executing revenge tactics and retaliation.
3. Your attitude of grace in feeding your enemy does not depend on who and what your enemy is, rather it depends on who and what you are.
4. The honor code never commands the believer to stoop to the level of the vindictive and implacable enemy.
5. Retaliation interferes with the integrity of God in punishing another.
Retaliation lowers the believer to the standard of his enemy. Also, revenge and retaliation lower your norms and standards to the level of evil, pettiness, implacability, vindictiveness, etc.
6. Never stoop to the level of evil for the honor code demands the high standards of grace. Grace demands that you leave all matters of enmity and hostility in the hands of the Lord.
7. Proverbs 25:21, 22, “If the one who hates you is hungry, give him food to eat; furthermore, if he is thirsty, give him water to drink for you will pile up burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” The burning coals is punishment from the justice of God; divine reward is not from feeding your enemy but because you have a status of maturity which demands such blessing.”
Then the present active subjunctive of this Greek word means to be thirsty in the sense of being dehydrated. This is to find someone who is hostile toward you in a critical situation where you have an opportunity of saving his life. Why? Because of who and what you are, not because of who and what he is. God often tests the believer by placing his enemy or enemies under the power of the believer to be tested. How the believer handles that power determines how his life will function thereafter.
Both food and water are necessary to sustain life. It would be easy to see your enemy dying from lack of food or lack of water. It would be easy to dismiss your responsibility regarding the honor code by simply turning around and walking away, pretending that you never heard the cry for help. This failure means that you have never advanced in the spiritual life. You may have gone through the motions of Christianity, but you never really applied doctrine properly. Only the justice of God has the right to take life or permit life to be taken. Never contribute to the discomfort of your enemies, only the justice of God can deal properly with hostility against you. Why is the enemy’s life preserved? So that the Lord can heap coals of fire upon his head.
The entire matter has been left in the hands of God. Burning coals of fire means that he is going to live and hurt, and from hurting he will either recover and be the better for it, or he will become worse and God will take him out under the sin unto death. By leaving animosity and antagonisms to the integrity of God, you have strengthened yourself on the one hand and prepared the way for the justice of God to deal with the individual on the other.
Romans 12:21
Stop being conquered by evil [don’ t lower yourself to their level], but conquer evil by means of the good [intrinsic good].
µὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν.
This is a reference to the reversionistic believer who has neglected doctrine, has become negative or apathetic to Bible teaching, and who has no concept of discipline in life, much less the spiritual academic discipline for perception of Bible doctrine. Such a believer lives in the devil’s cosmic system under the rulership of evil which is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the old sin nature as the sovereign of life. You start being conquered by evil when you reject doctrine and when you jump on the bandwagon for some form of human good. The objective of the Christian way of life is to pursue intrinsic good, by the renovation of his thought as per Romans 12:2, 3.
A few points for consideration:
1. Evil is conquered by means of the good. The good is the advance in the plan of God in the Plan of God equation of X, Y, Z.
2. The predetermined plan of God for the believer calls for six imputations in time resulting in the seventh imputation in eternity. It is the attainment of the 6th imputation namely escrow blessing in time, plus confidence of the 7th imputation namely escrow blessing in eternity, that defeats evil.
3. The 6th imputation of divine blessing in time to the mature believer glorifies the Godhead in time, and it is the only way to glorify God in time for God is glorified when the Lord is able to impute to you, personal blessings in the devil’s world.
4. The 7th imputation of divine blessing and rewards at the judgment seat of Christ glorifies God forever, the only way that believers can glorify God forever.
5. This verse emphasizes that the believer who is positive toward doctrine conquers evil and stays out of the devil’s cosmic system, but the believer who is negative toward doctrine is conquered by evil and lives his life in the devil’s cosmic system, fulfilling all of the concepts of sincerity and stupidity.
Further Explanation regarding the ‘Plan of God Rationale’:
X Radical: The imputation of soul life (literally ‘the breath of God’ with a spark of His own life) to biological life at birth (theologically this is called ‘selection’) resulting in a ‘soul having life’ which we call ‘human life’. Simultaneously, God forensically imputes Adam’s Original Sin (AOS) to the biological sin nature located in the fetus as it emerges from the womb. (Remember that the sin nature was passed down to the human race via man’s sperm in conception.) Thus, simultaneously, as a person becomes a human being, he becomes spiritually dead.
In this status, the new born is potentially a candidate for salvation. To be a candidate for salvation one must be a spiritually dead human being, a sinner for on the cross Jesus Christ provided salvation for sinners only “the righteous as a substitute for the unrighteous.” Being ‘selected’ for the human race, and so a candidate for salvation, God must reveal himself to this candidate at the time this individual is able to comprehend rationally that there is a God. He does so through the Five Theistic Arguments. Using one or more of these arguments, he will come to God-consciousness aka God-awareness. At that point, the candidate makes a decision namely he desires to know God or not. If the candidate desires to know God, then God must keep him alive long enough to hear the gospel-message (G). If he does not desire to know God, then God has fulfilled his responsibility to this individual and is not obligated to bring him the gospel-message though He may.
What about the child who dies before reaching God-consciousness and consequently did not face the issue of wanting to know God or not? In effect, this child neither rejected God at God-consciousness nor at gospel-hearing, and since the justice of God is absolute fairness, this child cannot be condemned. Instead, since this child did not have an opportunity to make a decision, God makes a gracious decision for him. God will give him all the assets which He gives to any member of the human race upon his believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior.
The steps from desiring salvation to being saved are as follows: If the individual desires to know God, God will bring him the gospel-message at the exact right time (G). Upon hearing or reading the gospel-message, the Holy Spirit will make the gospel-message perspicuous to that individual which is called ‘Common Grace’ in theology. The individual now has confidence (H1) that if he expresses faith in Jesus Christ, he will be saved. As soon as the individual understands this message, God the Father will invite him through his understanding and confidence in the message to enter into fellowship with His Son. This is known as the ‘Call of God’. If the person accepts this invitation to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then God the Holy Spirit will use his power to bring about the desired results which in theology is called the Efficacious Grace-ministry of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the spiritually dead individual’s expression of faith in Christ is not enough to bring about salvation. So, the Holy Spirit hearing that person’s expression of faith uses His power to provide salvation for that person (Efficacious Grace).
Y Radical: In the X radical there were two real imputations; real in the sense that there was a target namely something was imputed to something. However, in this radical, we have two judicial imputations; judicial in that they do not have a target. Judicial means that God the Father as a judge made a judicial decision to impute something although it was not deserved. In judicial imputation one (J1), since Jesus agreed to take-on the responsibility for all the sins of humanity namely to be a substitute for the unrighteous human race, God the Father then judged the impeccable humanity of Christ for the penalty of all the sins of humanity. The second judicial imputation (J2) is the imputation of the Father’s perfect righteousness to the believer at the point of his salvation. God the Father, as judge was able to make this gracious judicial decision, since His righteousness was satisfied by the work of the cross.
This sets up Potential 2 (P2), the potential of receiving ones Escrow Blessings at spiritual maturity. This requires learning the pertinent doctrines of the mystery doctrines of the Church Age and other doctrinal information as well. It not only requires learning this material but applying it as well. On the way to spiritual maturity, the Christian will be required to pass two major undeserved tests namely Providential Preventive Suffering and Momentum Testing. Having past these two tests, the Christian will have confidence (H2) that at his spiritual maturity, the Lord as the Escrow Officer will distribute to this believer his escrow blessings for time which blessings will be substantially increased at passing Evidence Testing.
Z Radical: Whereas in Radical X, we had the unbeliever, in Radical Y, we have the growing believer, and finally in Radical Z, we have the mature believer. We begin with two Real Imputations namely imputations with targets. These two will set up Potential 3, the potential for receiving the Christian’s eternal Escrow Blessings. The imputation of eternal life (EL) to his newly created human spirit at salvation, and the imputation of his Escrow Blessings for time (EBT) to the Christian’s perfect righteous which he possesses courtesy of being in union with Christ. These two real imputations set up Potential 3 (P3), the potential of receiving his eternal Escrow Blessings. This is accomplished by stabilizing his position as a mature believer and preparing himself to take the most difficult of all undeserved test namely Evidence Testing. Once he has accomplished this, he will have absolute confidence (H3) that at the Evaluation Throne of Christ, he will receive his eternal Escrow Blessing which blessing will bring maximum glorification of God forever.