Christmas Journeys

To you who are familiar with the blessed account of the birth of Christ I propose a question. Has it ever occurred to you how many journeys surround the story of our Lord’s birth? We are familiar with the journey that the wise men made to worship the Christ child, and we are familiar with the journey that the shepherds made to see the King of kings. But did you know that there are at least seven journeys connected with the narrative of the Saviour’s birth? I will give you each of these journeys along with a lesson we can learn from each one.

1. In Luke 1:11-20, the angel Gabriel journeyed from heaven to the temple in Jerusalem. He had a message to give to Zacharias the priest. This journey took place more than a year prior to Christ’s birth. Zacharias was told that he and his wife Elisabeth would bear a son and that his name would be John. Zacharias and his wife were old, well past child bearing age. Nevertheless, she conceived in her old age, bringing forth John the Baptist. The lesson learned from this journey is that of doubt, for Zacharias doubted the word of God. For this he struck dumb until he believed what God said.
2. In Luke 1:26-38, the angel Gabriel makes yet another journey. This time, he journeys from heaven to Nazareth to give a message to a virgin whose name was Mary. He told Mary that she would bring forth a son and that her son would be called the Son of the Highest. Mary, though a virgin, conceived and brought forth her firstborn son. Contrary to Gabriel’s journey to Zacharias, the lesson learned from Gabriel’s journey to the virgin Mary is the lesson of faith. Where Zacharias could not believe, Mary certainly believed. Though, like Zacharias, she questioned Gabriel, it must be told that she also affirmed Gabriel’s word, saying, “Be it unto me according to thy word.”
3. In Luke 1:39-56, Mary journeyed from Nazareth to the house of Zacharias and Elisabeth in the hill country of Judæa. Mary stayed with her cousin Elisabeth for three months. The lesson learned from this journey is the lesson of joy. Mary and Elisabeth rejoiced in the promise of God. God promised both Mary and Elisabeth a child. Elisabeth was seemingly too old to have a child, yet God miraculously gave her a son. Mary was seemingly too young to have a child, being a virgin. Yet when the promise of God came to them, they rejoiced together. This Christmas and every day, the saint of God has much about which to rejoice. Notice that Mary and Elisabeth did not wait until they held their babies in their arms to rejoice and praise God. They praised God at the promise alone. Just the word of God alone is sufficient for every Christian to rejoice.
4. In Luke 2:1-7, Mary and Joseph make a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The lesson in this journey is the message regarding the sovereignty of God. It is written in the Old Testament, in Micah 5:2, that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph may or may not have known this. Mary and Joseph, lived in the Galilean city of Nazareth. As the time draws near for Christ to be born, the Bible reader may wonder how Jesus is going to be born in Bethlehem if Mary and Joseph abide yet in Nazareth. Have no fear; God is sovereign! God is in control! If God said it, it will happen precisely as God said! Prophecy that God writes is more accurate than history that man writes! Cæsar Augustus, under the influence of the God of heaven, issued a decree that the whole world was to be taxed. I am convinced that God put it in his heart to decree such a taxation. As the result of this decree of taxation, the whole world was traveling from one place to another. Why all the hustle and bustle? The average person of that day would have responded that the hustle and bustle was for the purpose of taxation. From the standpoint of heaven, however, the world was on the move so that one baby boy could be born in Bethlehem! Never forget that God is in control.
5. In Luke 2:8-20, shepherds were in the field, keeping watch over their sheep by night. Suddenly, a heavenly host appeared to them, bringing them good tidings of great joy – that a Saviour had been born in Bethlehem. The angels told them that they would find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. So, in reply the angelic declaration, the shepherds departed for a journey to Bethlehem. The lesson learned in this journey was comfort. “Fear not,” the angel said to the shepherds. There is much to fear outside of Christ, but with Christ, and in Christ, there is nothing for the believer to fear.
6. In Matthew 2:1-12, wise men journeyed from the east to worship the Christ child. Of course, the lesson learned here is the lesson of worship. We do not know how many wise men there were. Many assume that there were three wise men because they brought three gifts. But the Bible does not say. Also, the wise men, though they did make it to Bethlehem, they did not make it to the manger. Matthew 2:11 tells us that they were “come into the house.” Evidently, by the time the wise men arrived, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were lodging in a house. The wise men expressed their worship to Christ in two ways. First, they worshipped by going; second, they worshipped by giving. Worship that is convenient is not really worship. Worship that costs nothing is worship that is worth nothing. If we are to truly worship, it must come from a heart that shows how much we love Him by going to the lost, and by giving to the needs of others.
7. The final journey of the Christmas story is the most important journey of all. This journey is the reason for all the other journeys that surround the Christmas story. The Saviour of the world, forsaking the ivory palaces of heaven, journeyed to this cold, dark, wicked world. Had Christ been born in a palace, He would have taken an incredible step down to do so. But He went further down than that! He was despised, rejected, and poor in this world that you and I might be rich in Him. At Christ's first coming, there were many journeys taken by men and angels. Now, Christ's second coming is near, and there is a journey that accompanies it. Only the saved by grace – the washed in the blood – the redeemed of the earth – the sanctified throng – are going. Everyone else will be left to face the wrath of God. Be ready to meet Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

The Believer’s Attitude Regarding Persecution

Having examined a few basic principles regarding Christian persecution, I wish to very briefly look at the attitude believers should have regarding persecution.

1. Pray Against It. In I Timothy 2:1-2, Paul exhorts Timothy to pray for kings, and for all that are in authority. Why? So that “we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” We should not desire that persecution come our way. We should rather pray that we continue to live peaceably with government officials, obeying the laws of the land until those laws contradict the laws of God. There is nothing wrong with hoping that persecution never comes. As a matter of fact, we are commanded to pray to that end! Of course, if persecution does indeed come our way, we should not let it deter us from serving God. But we should not wish for it.
2. Don’t Worry About It. In Matthew 10, Christ told His apostles that they would be delivered up to be persecuted. He then tells them in Matthew 10:19, “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak.” What does “take no thought” mean? Does it mean to sit and worry about persecution until it gets here? Does it mean to tremble in your shoes because of fear? Absolutely not! I tell you what I am going to do: I am going to first pray that persecution does not come to the American church. I am going to then realize that persecution may very well come to us. Then, I am going to worry about it no further. If persecution comes our way, I have faith that God will give me grace. I am more concerned about lost people dying lost than I am about persecution coming. And that is the way it should be.
3. Glorify God in It. Should persecution come, we should seek to find a way to give God the glory in it. Believers should use persecution for the purpose of winning souls and thereby giving God the glory. May we say with Paul, “we glory in tribulations also.”
4. Benefit from It. In Romans 5:3, Paul says, “…knowing that tribulation worketh patience.” When persecution comes your way, you can allow it to make you bitter or make you better. Let us determine to glorify God in it, and let it work patience in us. We should seek to benefit from tribulation and persecution any way we can. We should use persecution as a means of drawing closer to Him.

Principles of Christian Persecution

In the late ‘90s, I ministered at a church in one of the states of the United States of America. I learned from one of the elders of that congregation that President Clinton was preparing at any time to declare martial law, and that he would round up Christians in the United States and place us in concentration camps.

Nothing of the sort ever happened.

Shortly after 9-11, I sat across the table from a minister who informed me that at any time, President Bush would send forces to “kick my door in” and haul me off, with other Christians, to concentration camps.

It never happened.

Now, we are looking into a new year, and there are many predictions as to what the new year has in store. In a most recent prediction, I heard that President Obama is ready to round up Christians and place us in FEMA camps. Because this is the story during every American presidency, I am not too worried about it, to be frank. However, it is worth noting, that even in the United States, our freedom to speak our beliefs and to practice our faith openly is slowly but surely eroding. The left-wing ideology that now rules this country promises us that we will always be permitted to speak our opinions, unless our opinions are contrary to left-wing ideology. In that case, our opinions are simply not tolerated. “Either you agree with gay marriage,” they tell us, “or you are either homophobic or full of hate.” At the same time, liberals HATE us for what we believe. That would indeed make liberals the biggest batch of hypocrites on the face of the earth. “Either you tolerate us,” they proclaim, “or you will not be tolerated!”

The fact of the matter is that Christians in the United States may not always have the freedom to worship and express our beliefs as we do today. Our nation currently has leaders in power who stand for every rotten thing under the sun. I am optimistic in hoping that the freedoms we enjoy today will always be enjoyed, but I am realistic in admitting that our enjoyment of such freedoms may not always be the case. Understanding that Christians may not always have the freedoms we enjoy today, let me give a few principles regarding persecution given to us by the word of God.

1. Christian Persecution is a Fact. In John 15:18, Jesus said to His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” In John 15:20, Jesus stated further, “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” Jesus stated plainly that the world would hate and persecute us, and we should therefore expect it. As a matter of fact, Christian persecution exists throughout the world today. Many of my American readers do not understand this. We think that if it is not happening in the United States, then it is not happening. But there is no Muslim nation where Christians enjoy freedom, the most hostile of those nations being Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, and others. In China, the true Christian church meets underground, in opposition to the Chinese government. Christian persecution is a fact – Jesus said it would happen, and throughout the world, it is happening.
2. The Church is Appointed to Tribulation. I Thessalonians 3:3 makes this very clear. Now, some assume that because the church is appointed to suffer tribulation, the church is therefore appointed to suffer in the Great Tribulation. While I Thessalonians makes it clear that the church is appointed to suffer affliction, I Thessalonians also makes it clear that the church is not appointed to wrath (I Thessalonians 5:9). Jesus identified the Great Tribulation as a time of wrath in Luke 21:23. In I Thessalonians 1:10, Paul states that we have been delivered from the wrath to come. We are certainly delivered from hell, which is the wrath of God according to Revelation 14:10, but the wrath of which is speaking is not hell. Paul is rather speaking of the day of the Lord (I Thessalonians 5), which includes the Great Tribulation. So, while we are delivered from the wrath to come in the Great Tribulation, the church is not delivered from suffering in general, but is rather appointed to it. However, the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. The church is a gospel ship that was designed for troubled waters! Some worry when waves of persecution beat against the ship. Do not worry – the church was built for persecution. The church grows in persecution.
3. Persecution Accompanies Revival. Every pastor would like to see revival. But remember – after 5,000 souls were added to the church in Jerusalem, the apostles stood before the council. Evangelism and revival run parallel to persecution.
4. One Man’s Persecution is Another Man’s Strength. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes in Philippians 1:14, “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Let me paint a picture of the scene. It is New Testament times. Young preachers are tip-toeing around, trying not to arouse the Roman government for fear of persecution. But one day, these young preachers hear that Paul, the old man, had been imprisoned for the sake of the gospel. When these young preachers heard that, they decided that if Paul, the old man, wasn’t afraid to do time in a dirty dungeon for the gospel, then they could preach regardless of consequences! Paul’s persecutions gave them boldness!
5. The Presence of False Prophets Accelerates Persecution. Jeremiah the prophet preached that Judah was to go into Babylonian captivity. This landed him in prison in Jeremiah 20. The reason for their persecution against Jeremiah was because Jeremiah’s message sounded extreme. Why did Jeremiah’s message sound so extreme to them? It is because there were false prophets who were preaching that Judah would NOT go into captivity. As more and more churches accept the gross sin of homosexuality, you can expect the message of the Bible to sound more extreme to those in authority. Persecution is sure to follow.
6. The Religious Leaders are Usually the Persecutors. There are exceptions to this generalization, but it is often the case that the religious people are the ones who do the persecuting. Religious Cain killed Abel; Pashur the false prophet placed Jeremiah in the prison; the Pharisees delivered Jesus to Pilate to be crucified; and the Pharisees and Sadducees persecuted the early church in the book of Acts. When persecution arises, do not look for religious lost people to come to your aid; they will be doing the persecuting!
7. The Persecuted Enjoy a Degree of Fellowship Unknown to Others. Few men suffered like Paul the apostle suffered. Yet few men enjoyed the fellowship of the Son of God as Paul did. If those who are persecuted will allow it to be so, the Son of God will be closer to them in persecution than at other times. Paul, who tells of his sufferings in II Corinthians 11, also gives us his heart’s cry in Philippians 3:10 – “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings.”
8. God Gives “Great Grace” to the Persecuted. In Acts 4, persecution heated up against the church. Yet Acts 4:33 tells us, “Great grace was upon them all.” Many of us Americans allow the thought of persecution to worry us. Know this – should that hour come, God will give us the grace to stand for Him no matter the cost.
9. Persecutors are Usually under Conviction. In Acts 7, when Stephen was stoned, those who cast the stones were “cut to the heart.” One of the men present at Stephen’s stoning was Saul of Tarsus. He was eventually saved. Always remember that those doing the persecuting are wrong, and they usually know it! They can’t stand the thought of it! We should pray for the salvation of persecutors.
10. The Persecuted Have a Great Reward. In Matthew 5:12, Jesus said, “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” When you are persecuted for the sake of the gospel, great is your reward in heaven!
11. Persecution Tests what is in the Heart. How serious am I about serving God? Let persecution come and everyone around me will find out! What if our freedoms were suddenly taken away? Would that change your determination to serve God? As for many Christians, I need not wait until persecution comes to find out how serious they are about their service to God; I just wait until midweek service. Some of the same Christians who assure me that they would stand firm in the midst of heavy persecution cannot attend midweek service because they are “too tired.”
12. The Footmen and the Horses. In Jeremiah 12:5, God says to Jeremiah, “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied, then how canst thou contend with horses?” The illustration is a war-time illustration. The footmen are the soldiers on foot. When the battle intensifies, then the horsemen come. God says to Jeremiah, “If you cannot survive the foot soldiers, what will you do when the battle grows hotter, and the horsemen come?” That is a good question for many of our churches today. If we cannot stand what little pressure we have now, what are we going to do when the pressure intensifies?

The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God - Part 3

Christian Liberty – Using It, Not Abusing It

Having clearly seen the liberty that is afforded the children of God, it is now necessary to warn against the danger of abusing this liberty. While the God of heaven has meant for us to use this glorious liberty, He never intended us to abuse it. With liberty comes responsibility. Let us see, from a Biblical perspective, how this liberty may be abused, and let us purpose to only use it and never abuse it.

Using Liberty as a License to Sin

I believe, as much as anyone believes, that the Christian possesses a glorious liberty. Many who are ignorant concerning the Biblical teaching of Christian liberty immediately assume that proponents of Christian liberty are proponents of sin. While I am not authorized to speak on behalf of every proponent of Christian liberty, I will speak for myself. Nothing could be further from the truth! No one preaches Christian liberty with more fervor than I do; and no one preaches concerning the destruction of sin with more urgency than I do. When a believer sins, his fellowship with the Father is severed (I John 1:6); his prayers are hindered (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2); and if the believer does not deal with his sin by judging himself, the Father will chastise him (I Corinthians 11:31-32). And, oh how severe the chastening hand of God can be! Just ask King David as he comes back from his baby’s funeral how severe the chastening hand of God can be! Just ask the nation of Israel, who beheld their children become slaves in Babylon, how high the cost of sin really is!

As stated in the first part of this series, Christian liberty is a freedom from sin, not a freedom to sin. To sin under the guise of Christian liberty is to abuse Christian liberty. And to sin in this fashion is a double-sin. The actual sin is the first sin; using Christian liberty as the justification of the deed is the second sin. Using Christian liberty to commit sin is a sin in itself. Look at the warnings against such behavior:

Galatians 5:13 – “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

I Peter 2:16 – “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”

Causing a Brother to Stumble While Using Christian Liberty

A second way to abuse Christian liberty is by using Christian liberty to cause your brother or sister in Christ to stumble. Three verses in I Corinthians 8 describe this abuse of Christian liberty:

I Corinthians 8:9 – “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (italics mine; added for emphasis).

I Corinthians 8:12 – “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ” (italics mine; added for emphasis).

I Corinthians 8:13 – “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (italics mine; added for emphasis).

Notice the emphasized words in the above three verses: “stumblingblock” in verse 9; “wound” in verse 12; and “offend” in verse 13.

These verses plainly teach that I should forfeit any liberty I have Christ if that liberty becomes a stumblingblock to my brother in Christ; or wounds my brother’s weak conscience; or offends my brother. Let us look at these words carefully to determine when a Christian should forfeit his liberty in Christ.

The words “stumblingblock” in verse 9 and “offend” in verse 13 are connected. In modern English usage, we often use the word “offend” to mean “to hurt one’s feelings.” When a person says, “I am offended,” what they generally mean is, “My feelings are hurt.” In modern English usage, the word “offend” can mean “to hurt one’s feelings.” As a matter of fact, some teach that, based upon I Corinthians 8:13, a Christian should forfeit his Christian liberty if another Christian simply disagrees with his usage of liberty. Some teachers teach that we should forfeit our liberty in Christ if another Christian is “offended,” which they define as “in disagreement with.” But this is not what the word “offend” means. Think about it. If I can only use my Christian liberty until someone disagrees with my usage of Christian liberty, then technically, Christian liberty is non-existent. It is a myth. If the Lord tells me that I have great liberty, but I can only use it until someone is “offended,” or as some define it, until someone “disagrees with” my usage of such liberty, then really, I have no liberty at all.

For example, consider a necktie. This will shock some readers, but there are places throughout the United States where pastors teach that wearing a necktie is sinful; that wearing a necktie is connected with pride. I am convinced that I have the liberty to either wear a necktie or remove my necktie. I have the understanding that, like the meat sacrificed to idols, wearing a necktie won’t make me any less spiritual, and removing my necktie won’t make me any more spiritual (I Corinthians 8:8). So, if I, while wearing a necktie, find myself among brothers who disagree with the act of wearing a necktie, what should I do? Should I forfeit my Christian liberty and remove my necktie? In the vast majority of cases, ABSOLUTELY NOT! “But your necktie offends those brothers,” you say. Actually, my necktie does NOT offend those brothers. Those brothers disagree with my wearing of a necktie, but “disagreement with” my necktie is not the same as being “offended” because of my necktie. People define the word “offended” in the modern sense, but the word “offended” is not used in the modern sense in scripture.

In our current 1769 edition of the King James Bible, the word “offend” does not mean “to hurt one’s feelings”; and “offended” does not mean “in disagreement with.” In Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of American English, he gives several definitions of the word “offend.” In one particular definition, Webster defines “offend” as “to be scandalized; to be stumbled.” He then cites I Corinthians 8:13 as an example, which reads, “…if I make my brother to offend.” The definition of “offend” that is associated with I Corinthians 8 is “to be stumbled.” Thus, to “offend” is to “cause to stumble.” James Strong, in his Greek and Hebrew dictionaries, identifies the Greek word translated “offend” as “skandalizo,” which he defines as “to scandalize; to entrap; to trip up; to stumble, or entice to sin.” The word “offend” in the Biblical sense means “to cause to stumble; to cause to sin.”

In I Corinthians 8:13, Paul says that if meat makes his brother to offend, he will eat no meat while the world stands. Paul is clearly stating that if his liberty to eat meat causes his brother to stumble into sin, he will eat no meat while the world stands. The context of this passage bears this out further. Four verses prior, in verse 9, Paul says, “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.” A stumblingblock is “that which causes one to stumble.” In order for my Christian liberty to offend someone in the Biblical sense, it must be a stumblingblock to them. It must cause them to stumble into sin.

Let us go back to my “necktie” illustration. I stated earlier that should I, while wearing a necktie, find myself among brothers who disagree with the act of wearing a necktie, I should NOT remove my necktie. Those brothers, though they disagree with my wearing of a necktie, are not Biblically “offended” by it. They disagree with it, but they are not, in the Biblical sense, “offended.” My necktie, though they hate the sight of it, is not causing them to stumble into sin. My necktie is not a stumblingblock. As for those brothers who despise my necktie, their walk with God will not be affected in any way because of my necktie. As soon as I see that my necktie is offensive in the Biblical definition of the word – as soon as I see that my necktie causes a brother to stumble in his walk with God – as soon as I see that my brother stumbles into sin because of my necktie, I will, in the spirit of New Testament brotherly love, make sure that these precious brothers never see me in a necktie again. I will refrain from neckties before the conscience of my weak brother is wounded (I Corinthians 8:12). While my Christian liberty means much, my brother in Christ means more. And if using my Christian liberty may cause my brother to stumble, I will forfeit that liberty in a moment!

Making it Practical

Is there a way to make the teaching of I Corinthians 8 practical for today? Yes, there certainly is, and it would behoove us to do so. In making this doctrine practical, let me first address those who realize their liberty in Christ; then, let me address those who are bothered by those who enjoy their Christian liberty.

TO THOSE WHO REALIZE THEIR CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

As for those of us who realize our Christian liberty, we must remember that Paul gives us a strong warning that we not “wound our brother’s weak conscience” in allowing our freedom to be a “stumblingblock.” Let us remember that if our brother falls into sin because of our liberty, we will be held accountable. Because the privilege of Christian liberty is great, the responsibility that accompanies it is equally great.

If you realize your Christian liberty, I think that is great. But it is your obligation to be mindful of others. Suppose you meet up with a Christian friend whom you have not seen in a great while. Suppose you offer to buy his or her lunch. If you know that your Christian friend does not like to eat at places that serve alcohol, can’t you forfeit your Christian liberty for a meal in order to have fellowship with a Christian brother or sister? Why demand that the two of you eat lunch at Tumbleweed if you know it bothers them? Why not eat somewhere you know they will enjoy? Isn’t that the Christian thing to do? While we value our Christian liberty, we should value our brothers and sisters in Christ far more.

TO THOSE WHO ARE BOTHERED BY US WHO ENJOY OUR CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

Now, I want to give a closing word to those who are bothered by us who enjoy our Christian liberty. I have the liberty to eat at a restaurant that serves alcohol; to wear a necktie; to have a Facebook account; and to access the internet. If you are bothered by any of these, then I am talking to you.

First, if you claim to offended by someone using such liberties as I mentioned, then you should be aware of the Biblical term “offend.” If you claim to be offended by my necktie, then you are claiming that my necktie is causing you to stumble into sin. You should know that, if this is the case, you hold a good deal of responsibility for your stumbling into sin. We should never let anything cause us to sin. “If your right eye offend thee, pluck it out.” We should never let anything come between us and God.

Second, if you are bothered by the above-mentioned liberties of mine, let me say that the Bible says you are weak, and you have an obligation to become strong (Ephesians 6:10). I can be patient with someone who thinks that wearing a necktie is a sin, if they were converted in the last three months. But if you have been saved for over five years, and you still think that taking a necktie off makes a person more spiritual, then you are extremely malnourished. Spiritually speaking, you are “skin and bones.”

Third, let me make a statement that I made in my previous post. If you wish to forfeit your Christian liberty, please note two things. First, be aware that “stricter” does not mean “more spiritual.” As a matter of fact, the Corinthians who could eat meat sacrificed to idols were the strong Christians, while the Corinthians who abstained from meat were the weak ones. Also, keep in mind that no sect anywhere is as strict as the Pharisees of Christ’s day. Yet no sect anywhere is as hell-bound as the Pharisees were (Matthew 23:33). Second, when you forfeit your Christian liberty in order to be stricter, do not become angry with other Christians who choose to enjoy their Christian liberty.

The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God - Part 2

Enjoying Christian Liberty

Titus 1:15 – “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

Three times in the New Testament, the subject of Christian liberty arises. It arises because strong Christians were enjoying their Christian liberty, and weak Christians were offended by it. In the case of Titus chapter 1, Christian liberty is seen in contrast to the commandments of men. In Romans 14 and I Corinthians 8, the subject of Christian liberty is raised in the issue of meat – whether or not Christians can eat meat that had been offered to idols.

Meat Sacrificed to Idols – I Corinthians 8

Allow me to paint a picture of what is happening in the New Testament. Some Christians purchased meat from a pagan temple. When weaker Christians saw this, they were offended. They thought that, by purchasing the meat, those Christians were taking part in idolatry. The weaker Christians were offended even more when some of the Christians would not only purchase meat from pagan temples, but they would also sit down and eat the meat inside the pagan temple (I Corinthians 8:10)!

Please note that Paul never condemns purchasing or eating meat that had been offered to idols. He doesn’t even condemn eating the meat inside of a pagan temple! As a matter of fact, Paul describes those who can eat such meat without feeling guilty as being strong. Those who feel guilty for eating such meat, however, he describes as weak (I Corinthians 8:10), having a weak conscience (I Corinthians 8:12).

Notice this. This is very important. The stricter ones – the ones who abstained from meat offered to idols – were considered to be weak Christians, while the ones who could eat of the meat without any sense of guilt were considered to be strong Christians (I Corinthians 8:7). I have seen this reversed in many churches. Some people think that they are more spiritual because they are stricter. In reality, however, the strictest are often the weakest.

Now, let us apply this to some issues of Christian liberty that are prevalent in today’s church. Today, we are not concerned with meat sacrificed to idols, but there are some issues with which the church today must deal. I get tickled when I look on Facebook, and someone announces that they are deleting their Facebook account in order to be more spiritual. There are actually preachers who preach that having a Facebook account is wrong. Some preach the same about the internet, claiming that it is a sin for an individual to access the internet. Though there are many issues with which I could deal, let me deal with the issue of Facebook as an example.

Let us use the principles found in I Corinthians 8, and apply those principles to the internet and Facebook in particular. Like the meat offered to idols, the internet and Facebook are not sinful in themselves. You may say, “Some people get on Facebook to gossip.” I say, “Some people don't get on Facebook to gossip!” It is a sin to be a talebearer (gossiper) either on or off Facebook. But if a person gets on Facebook to gossip, then Facebook is not the problem; gossip is the problem! I do acknowledge that anyone with a Facebook account ought to access Facebook with caution. People have met old acquaintances on Facebook and ended up shattering a family with adultery. But even then, Facebook is not the problem. The problem lies in the heart of the individual who is accessing a Facebook account. In Paul’s day, it was no doubt a sin to engage in idolatry (as it is today). If eating meat offered to idols caused one to worship an idol, then the meat was not the problem; idolatry was the problem! Strong Christians could eat the meat without any guilt because they had no idolatry in their hearts. And strong Christians can have a Facebook account without misbehaving.

You see, weak Christians in Paul’s day were stricter than the strong Christians. They deprived themselves liberties that Christ had given them. They had the liberty to eat any meat, whether it had been sacrificed to an idol or not. This is because, as strong Christians understood, an idol is nothing. Strong Christians knew that false gods are powerless figments of their worshippers’ imaginations. Because of this, it didn’t matter whether the meat was sacrificed to those idols or not. Paul explains this in I Corinthians 8:4-6. Paul goes on to say that those who do not know that an idol is nothing, and consequently refuse to eat meat sacrificed to idols, are the ones with a weak conscience.

This brings me to another point about the weak Christians in the Corinthian church. The Corinthian epistle was the only New Testament epistle that addressed the gift of tongues. When it came to the gifts of the Spirit, the Corinthians claimed to be spiritual. Yet, they were the most unspiritual church in the New Testament. They were divided instead of united (chapter 1); they were carnal (chapter 3); there was fornication among them (chapter 5); they were taking each other to civil court (chapter 6); they had issues concerning marriage (chapter 7); they had weak Christians who condemned themselves for eating meat sacrificed to idols (chapter 8); they had an authority problem (chapter 11); and they were devoid of teaching regarding the Lord’s supper (chapter 11). The same ones who showed how much “Holy Ghost power” they had by speaking in tongues didn’t have enough power to eat a slab of meat because it was offered to a powerless, pagan idol. And my, do we find this today! The ones who claim to have the most “Holy Ghost power” are some of the strictest ones. They abstain from everything! They can’t go somewhere if sinners are there. They can’t go to a restaurant that serves alcohol. I am convinced that Paul, who didn’t mind eating meat in a pagan temple (I Corinthians 8:10), wouldn’t mind eating a meal at Texas Roadhouse. But some can’t go to a place like that. Where’s all that Holy Ghost power they talk about? If they had real Holy Ghost power, they would be able to go to the gates of hell to win souls and not worry about being contaminated by the sins of others! But, like the Corinthians, they don’t have the power like they think they do! Since someone needs to say it, I’ll go ahead and say it – if you do not have enough power to get on Facebook without gossiping or committing adultery, then your power is pretty useless.

Now, let me go ahead and tighten this on down. It is clear that the strong Christians were the ones who could eat the meat sacrificed to idols. It was the weak Christians who could not do so, lest they defiled their conscience. I have brought this out several times in several different settings. I have had people, in defending their strict lifestyle, brag about how weak they are. Now, it sounds humble to hear someone talk about how weak they are. But Paul was not commending the Corinthians for being weak. It was a sharp rebuke when the Hebrew writer told the Hebrews that they should have been strong enough to teach the principles of God, but instead were weak and needed milk. When a Christian admits to being weak, they are admitting to being disobedient to God. We are commanded in Ephesians 6:10 – “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” You’re not supposed to be weak; you’re supposed to be strong! And if you claim to be filled with the Holy Ghost, you above all others should be strong! You should be strong enough to go around sinners without being defiled! You should be strong enough to get on Facebook without sinning! You should be strong enough to win souls in the red light district! You should be strong enough to go to a wicked workplace and live for God! You shouldn’t have to abstain from everything in the world if you are as strong as you should be!

One more point before I move on. What about these preachers who preach that Facebook is a sin? What about those who refuse to have a Facebook account, thinking that they are more spiritual because of their abstinence? Let me say that the Bible gives a clear answer regarding them. What about the weak Christians who refused to eat meat sacrificed to idols? Were they better off? NOT ONE BIT! Look at what Paul says regarding the weak Christians who thought they were spiritual by abstaining from meats:

I Corinthians 8:8 – “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.”

Meat is not the problem! Idolatry is the problem! If you can eat the meat without partaking in idolatry, have at it! You were no more spiritual for eating or for rejecting the meat! That’s the Bible answer. You may think you’re spiritual because you have no Facebook account. I am here to tell you that it doesn’t make you one bit spiritual to either have or delete a Facebook account.

Now, how do I feel personally about ministers who abstain from Facebook, thinking they are more spiritual as a result of it? Or those ministers who abstain from restaurants that serve alcohol? First of all, I feel that they will stand before God for themselves. They can do whatever butters their bread. Do I commend them for abstaining from things that are not sinful to start with? No. I don’t admire them; I don’t look up to them. To be truthful, I pity them. I feel badly for them because they have such elementary understanding (if any) of the Biblical doctrine of Christian liberty. Please note that I do not hate such ministers. But I am convinced that their abstinence from “meat” does not make them one bit spiritual, whether or not they think it does. On the contrary, it betrays the fact that they are weak when they have been commanded to be strong.

Conclusion

When a person loves the Lord with all their heart, they want to draw close to Him. However, instead of drawing close to God in a Biblical manner (prayer, the word of God, attending church, soul winning, etc.), many times they try to get closer to God by giving up “things.” However, these people often show their instability when they do this. They get rid of Facebook for a while, and then they get back on. They abstain from the internet for a while, and then they get hooked back up. What would end the turmoil and instability is an understanding of Titus 1:15:

Titus 1:15 – “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

Unto the pure all “things” are pure. You can clearly see that “things” are not the problem. If you want to draw closer to God, then getting rid of “things” is not the way to go. Seek God in prayer and in His word. Now, if God instructs you to get rid of anything, then do it by all means. “Things” in themselves are tools that can be used for either good or evil. In context, Titus 1 is speaking of “commandments of men” (Titus 1:14). Getting rid of “things,” such as meat offered to idols, a Facebook account, or a restaurant that sells alcohol, are often the result of “commandments of men.”

Please understand that these principles found in I Corinthians 8 regarding meat offered to idols may apply to a lot of issues, not just Facebook or restaurants that serve alcohol. I only used these issues as examples because they are familiar to some with which I am acquainted. They can apply to nearly any issue where someone preaches a particular behavior to be a sin though the Bible does not condemn such. These principles apply to preachers who think they are spiritual because they do not wear a necktie; Christians who think they are spiritual because they abstain from putting up a Christmas tree; and on and on the list could go.

Also, please note that I am not angry with any of you who simply do not wish to have a Facebook page or go to a restaurant that serves alcohol. If you abstain from such because it makes you feel more spiritual, then I wish you the best. I say that with an honest heart. I only ask that you realize that you have more liberty in Christ than you are enjoying. Consequently, I ask you to refrain from doing as the false teachers of which Paul spoke who “came to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 2:4). If you are going to forfeit your liberty in Christ, please do not grow ill toward us who choose to enjoy our liberty in Christ.

It would be beneficial if preachers today would stop treating symptoms and start treating the root of the problem. If a pastor has a man in his church who met someone on Facebook and split up that person’s family, I wish that pastor would advise the man to delete his adulterous heart instead of advising him to delete his Facebook account. Many preachers who spend their time preaching against “things” usually miss the weightier matters of the heart. Unto the pure all “things” are pure.

In Romans 14, the subject of meat and Christian liberty is again the subject of discussion. In verse 22, Paul says, “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” If there is no Bible that declares it to be a sin, God said you are happy person if you can partake of it without any sense of guilt. This is the liberty of which God wants His children to partake.

Counting My Blessings

The way to be thankful is to be “thinkful.” Dr. Curtis Hutson said, “The more you think, the more thankful you will be. So, the folks who are not thankful don’t think much.” I have been thinking, and it has prompted me to give thanks. Allow me to briefly give a few things in life for which I sincerely thank God.

1. First and foremost, I am thankful for the salvation of my soul. Along with this, let me say that I am thankful that, when I was lost, I learned the truth regarding salvation. You can ask the next ten people how to be saved and go to heaven, and you will get fifteen different answers. Some say that observing sacraments is the way to be saved (and even then, you do not know for sure whether or not salvation has been attained). Others say that salvation is a process of saying a prayer, being baptized, and joining a certain church. Others say that one must repent of one’s sins, be baptized, and speak in tongues in order to be saved. Some cling to law-keeping, commandment-keeping, and a system of good works for salvation. There are many churches, but very few know soup beans from apple butter about the Biblical manner of salvation. I am thankful that, as a boy, I attended a church that preached the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ. That pastor preached that all that was needed to secure my salvation was provided by Jesus Christ. He preached that I could perform no single work of my own to receive salvation; I must fully trust Christ’s finished work to be saved. I placed all my faith in Jesus Christ, and because of His shed blood, my sins are paid in full. The moment I placed my faith in Christ, I “believed on Jesus Christ” and was saved in a moment’s time! My salvation is solely in Jesus Christ! Christ is my Saviour! In the word of God, Jesus said, “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). John the Baptist said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36). John the apostle said, “But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). Peter said, “Whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). The only way I could die today and not be saved is if the word of God is false or if the blood of Jesus Christ turns out to be insufficient. That’s why I won’t lose any sleep tonight worrying about my salvation! I thank God for His unspeakable gift!
2. I am thankful for the assurance of salvation. I won’t spend a lot of time here, but I must speak of it. I am thankful that, not only am I saved, but I know it! When God blessed me with salvation, He also blessed me with a good dose of assurance! Suppose an angel was to come to me tonight and say, “Bob, I just came from heaven. I just looked into the Lamb’s book of life, and your name is not found there.” I have all the right in the world to look that angel in the eye and tell him that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about! God’s word says I’m saved! If an angel from heaven tells me otherwise, I am instructed by scripture to let that angel be accursed (Galatians 1:8)! I’m not only saved by the grace of God, but I know it, and there’s not an angel from heaven or a devil from hell that can convince me otherwise.
3. I am thankful that God has met every material need in my life. I have a comfortable place to live. Every time I am hungry, I always have plenty to eat. I do not know what it is to have to go to bed hungry. When I wake up in the mornings, I have plenty of clean clothes from which to choose to wear. On Sunday mornings, it is not an issue of whether or not I have a suit to wear, but which suit I wear becomes the question. I must decide if I will wear a brown pair of dress shoes or a black pair. When it is time to go somewhere, I have a vehicle to drive (that is paid for). When bills are due, I have always been able to sit down and write a (good) check to pay for them!
4. I am thankful for friends and family. Having attended many funerals and conducted many of them, I know how fragile life can be. I know firsthand that just because someone in my family is here this year is no indication that they will be here next year. It may be dismal, but it makes me thankful for the friends and family in my life.
5. I am thankful that both my parents are yet living. I know of some who have buried a parent who was younger than my parents are. I hate that anyone has ever had to bury their parents, but I am thankful that my parents are alive and well.
6. I am thankful for my health. I do not have congestive heart failure; I do not have diabetes; I do not have high cholesterol; I do not have a terminal illness. I have a strong heart and strong lungs. Again, I know that I am better than no one who may not be as blessed in the area of health. But I am compelled to stop and give thanks to the One who sustains me.
7. I am thankful for my physical senses. I am glad that when I open my eyes, I can see. I am thankful that I am able to walk and talk. Though it is impaired, I thank God for my hearing. As I type this, I am enjoying instrumental music. Not everyone is able to enjoy the gift of sound. I would be sinning to enjoy the use of my ears without thanking God.
8. I am thankful for my congregation. Serving as pastor has its challenges, but it sure makes it easier when you have good people to pastor.
9. I am thankful for my library. I own a good collection of books. I do not know how many I have because I am always buying them. I have a good collection of books on my shelves, books on my laptop, and books on my Kindle Fire. Among the genres of books I have are commentary, reference, history, biography, sermon books, and a small handful of fiction. If all I had was a Bible, there’s no doubt I would enjoy good fellowship with God. But how my life has been enriched because of good reading material!
10. I am thankful for Facebook. It has been a source of blessing in my life. Because of Facebook, I have been able to connect with people from the past; many of which I would have most likely never seen or heard from again. It has been a blessing to connect with former classmates, former teachers, and people whom I have met in my travels. It has been a blessing to keep up with the lives of many friends through the means of Facebook.

There are many other blessings for which I could give thanks. But for the sake of time, I will conclude. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Psalm 100:4 – “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God - Part 1

The Fact of Christian Liberty

Romans 8:21 – “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Introduction

In our text, Paul speaks explicitly of the “glorious liberty of the children of God.” It is a fact that God’s children have liberty. The next few posts have been born out of a concern for so many Christians who have liberty, but thinking it to be a mark of spirituality, they forfeit their Christian liberty. This forfeiting of Christian liberty originates often out of a heart that loves God. They love God so much that they desire to be close to Him. However, since they do not know how to draw close to God, they get rid of “things,” cease to take part in various activities, delete their Facebook accounts, and put restraints on themselves – restraints that are neither instructed nor commanded by the scripture. The “things” they are giving up to get closer to God are not sinful; but because it makes them feel spiritual, they strip away their own liberty. However, as we will see later, stripping away your own liberty does not make you any more spiritual than the one who enjoys his liberty. As a matter of fact, the Christian who enjoys his liberty is referred to as the strong Christian; the Christian who condemns himself unnecessarily is considered the weak Christian.

Some who are reading this right now are already objecting to my words because they have stripped themselves of their Christian liberty, and they do not want anyone else to have liberty either. But the liberty we have in Christ was given to us to enjoy. When the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, he instructed Timothy to charge them that are rich not to trust in their riches, but rather to trust in the living God. He then reminds Timothy that God richly gives us all things to enjoy (I Timothy 6:17). It is hard for those who constantly strip themselves of their liberty to enjoy anything! But God richly gives us all things to enjoy!

Of course, when I speak of Christian liberty, I am not speaking of liberty to sin. As for the individual who hears the term “Christian liberty” and automatically assumes that liberty to sin is what is meant, that person does not know anything about the Biblical doctrine of Christian liberty. So, what is meant by the term “Christian liberty”? Let us see.

Liberty from What?

It is interesting that, on the day of Pentecost, Peter quoted from the prophet Joel. Toward the end of Joel’s prophecy, Peter quotes it this way – “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). In the book of Joel, however, Joel records a slightly different wording. Joel writes, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (Joel 2:32). Now, there is no contradiction here at all. Calling upon the name of the Lord brings salvation, and that salvation is deliverance – a setting free.

Real, Biblical salvation is deliverance. Those who have been saved have been set free! But the question now arises – set free from what? There is a host of various types of bondage from which the Christian has been set free – and these freedoms compose the sum of what is meant by the phrase “Christian liberty.”

First, it must be noted that the man who is saved by the grace of God is delivered from the bondage of corruption. Our text, Romans 8:21, speaks of the creation itself which shall one day be delivered from the bondage of corruption. Believers have already enjoyed such deliverance. When I was born the first time, I was born of corruptible seed. I was born of the flesh. The seed of which I was conceived was a corruptible seed. I was first born of a seed that is capable of dying – and this flesh will one day die. However, when I was born again, my inner man was born of an incorruptible seed – a seed that will never die. Therefore, my inner man will never die. This is called everlasting life. The liberty that the creation of God will one day enjoy is a liberty that the children of God already enjoy – the liberty from the bondage of corruption. Our text calls this liberty THE GLORIOUS LIBERTY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD!

Second, the child of God is delivered from the Law of Moses. Romans 7:6 declares, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Many Christians do not enjoy this freedom. They say and believe that they are under the Old Testament law. The law could never give life (Galatians 3:21). The law condemns, declaring guilt (Romans 3:19). Therefore, those who are under the law are under its guilt and condemnation. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot be bound to the law and yet be free from its guilt and condemnation. Such a state does not exist. The only way to be free from the guilt and condemnation of the law is to be free from the law itself. And such liberty has been granted to the Christian.

Third, the Christian is delivered from not only the law, but also the curse that the law brings. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Three verses earlier, Paul defines the curse of which he is speaking – “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Those who are under the law are under the curse (Galatians 3:10). And the curse is defined as the obligation to keep the whole law. Everyone I know who claims to be under the law picks and chooses what portion of the law they want to keep and what portion they want to say is fulfilled in Christ. The very law they say they are under does not permit them to do this! The very law they claim to keep says that they are under the whole law or none at all! I do not have to keep the whole because Christ kept the whole law, delivering me from the law and its curse.

Fourth, Christians are delivered from the fear of death. Hebrews 2:15 says, “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” I do not know of a greater bondage than living in fear of death. What a blessing to know that, since I have been saved, I have no need to fear death. It will be better on the other side of death than it is on this side! Only Christians have this assurance.

Fifth, Christians are delivered from sin. Matthew 1:21 says, “And thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” Romans 6:18 says, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Unfortunately, many who have had an experience from the wells of salvation do not enjoy the freedom from sin. Many Christians stumble, often repeatedly, over the same obstacles. They spend their lives getting what appears to be victory over a sinful habit, only to succumb to its temptation yet again. I would tell such a believer that this does not have to be the story of your Christian walk. There is victory over sin!

Sixth, the children of God find in their salvation deliverance from men. Though many Christians do not enjoy this liberty, it is available to the redeemed. I Corinthians 9:19 says, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” Paul made himself a servant to all men, but only to win souls. Outside of winning souls, Paul was bound to no man. No man controlled what Paul preached. Unlike Matthias, Paul was not chosen by man to be an apostle (Galatians 1:1). Paul was not interested in pleasing man. Every believer has the right to enjoy this liberty. Although we should submit to the authority of man so long as it does not interfere with the authority of God (Romans 13:5), when it comes to the Christian life, we should seek to please God. It is noteworthy that, when the issue of Christian liberty arises in the New Testament, it is most always because weak Christians condemned themselves because they had broken one of the commandments of men. We will look at this further in the next post.

Last, in the package of salvation comes deliverance from this present, evil world. Look at Galatians 1:4 – “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Many Christians know little of separation from the world. The man who has been saved is a new creature in Christ, and should be different from the world around them. As a Christian, you should not look like the world. As a Christian, you should not behave as those in the world. You should not sorrow as those in the world sorrow. You should not pattern yourself after the world’s heroes. You should not entertain yourself with God-hating, Christ-hating, church-hating entertainment. Do you wish to be a soul winner? Do you wish to win your family to Christ? You will never do it until you live separated from the world. If you’re in the same muck they’re in, you have nothing to which to win them. Jude said in Jude 22, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.” Do you want to make a difference? You will never make a difference if you’re not different. Liberty from the pull of this world is available to, and should be enjoyed by, every Christian!

Simple Truths Regarding the Resurrection

1. By “the resurrection,” I am speaking of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, as well as the final resurrection of saints and sinners. The physical bodies of every saint and sinner will be resurrected, or brought to life again.
2. The resurrection is clearly taught in the Old Testament. In Psalm 16:10, David prophesies concerning the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Job prophesies concerning the bodily resurrection of the saints in Job 19:25-26 – “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” It is no wonder that Martha told the Lord that, though her brother Lazarus had died, she expected to see him again “in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24).
3. Jesus Christ, after having died, was buried. Three days after His burial, Christ rose again from the dead. His resurrection was physical, meaning that the same physical body that died and was buried was the same physical body that resurrected. After Christ resurrected, the disciples believed that the resurrected Christ was just a spirit, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim. Christ, however, corrected them, saying, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39).
4. Because Christ’s resurrection from the dead was a physical, bodily resurrection, believers will experience a physical, bodily resurrection from the dead, as our physical bodies will be changed into a body like His body (Philippians 3:21).
5. Christ taught that believers experience a spiritual resurrection when they believe. In John 5:25, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” From this, it is clear that some who are dead (in trespasses and sins; Ephesians 2:1) will hear the voice of the Son of God, and live.
6. Christ, also in John 5, taught the physical resurrection of every individual. In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
7. Between the first resurrection and the second resurrection is a period of one thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6).
8. When speaking of the physical resurrection of all men, Christ said it this way in John 5:28-29 – “The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” Since Christ stated that all men would be resurrected in a certain hour that is coming, some have concluded that both the just and the unjust will resurrect simultaneously. This is not so. A few verses earlier, in John 5:25, when speaking of the spiritual resurrection of believers, Christ stated that “the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” Let me ask a question. As for this “hour” in which people hear the voice of the Son of God and live, how long has this “hour” lasted? Those who lived during Christ’s time lived in that “hour,” and that “hour” is still going today. Those who hear His voice today are still resurrected from the death of trespasses and sins. As for the spiritual resurrection of believers, the “hour” in which “they that hear shall live” has spanned more than two thousand years. And, all believers who have passed from death unto life did not do so simultaneously. Therefore, as for the physical resurrection of all men, it is no contradiction to believe that there is a thousand years between the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation. Revelation 20 clearly teaches that the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation will occur at different times, not simultaneously.
9. The individuals who believe in a “general resurrection,” or the resurrection of all men simultaneously, have great difficulty with Luke 14:14, where Christ said, “And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” Listen to what Christ said – “Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” If the just and the unjust are raised simultaneously, then Christ’s statement is senseless. Since I believe that none of Christ’s statements are senseless, I must believe that the just and unjust must be raised at different times. If the just and the unjust are raised together, it would have made much more sense for Christ to speak simply of being recompensed at the resurrection. Instead, Christ specifies which resurrection at which we will be recompensed – the resurrection of the just.
10. In I Thessalonians 4, Paul the apostle speaks of the rapture of the church and the resurrection of the righteous that occurs at that time. In I Thessalonians 4:16-17 – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” In this passage, the “dead in Christ,” that is, those saved individuals who have died, will rise first. Then, we Christians who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Not one mention is made of unbelievers. Very odd indeed, if in fact believers and unbelievers are raised from the dead together. One may object that the context of the immediate passage is concerning the rapture of the church, and since the rapture does not concern the lost, Paul would naturally speak only of the saved. However, if the saved and the lost are raised simultaneously at the rapture, then the rapture would concern the lost, for they, too, would be raised from the dead at that time. Hence, Paul’s statement that the “dead in Christ shall rise first” would be senseless and inaccurate: senseless, because it makes no sense to specify the “dead in Christ” if the unsaved dead are raised at the same time; and inaccurate, because it would not only be the “dead in Christ” that are raised from the dead at the time of the rapture, but the unsaved dead as well. Paul’s use of the term “dead in Christ” shows that the unsaved dead are not raised at the same time as the “dead in Christ.” Someone else may object that Paul is writing to a church, and would therefore only speak of the rapture as it relates to the church. There would be no need, then, to mention the lost in a discourse addressed to a church. This objection is unsubstantiated because, just a few verses later, Paul speaks of the lost in regard to the day of the Lord, saying that “they shall not escape” (I Thessalonians 5:3). He goes on to speak of those who “sleep in the night” and those who “are drunken in the night” (I Thessalonians 5:7). When Paul speaks of the day of the Lord in chapter five, he has no trouble mentioning the lost, because they will “not escape” the day of the Lord, as it will come upon them suddenly. He does not mention any resurrection of the unsaved in chapter four because, at the rapture, only the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected.
11. When the saved are resurrected, we will go to the judgment seat of Christ to be “recompensed at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 5:10). When the lost are resurrected, they will go to the great white throne judgment to be judged. Their final destiny is the lake of fire, which is the second death (Revelation 20:11-15).
12. The most important aspect of the study of the resurrection is to remember, first, that the resurrection of the just is a resurrection to eternal life; and second, that the resurrection of the unjust is a resurrection to damnation (John 5:29). The only way to avoid the condemnation of the resurrection of the unjust is to believe on Jesus Christ for salvation. In John 5:24, Jesus promised that those who believe on Him need never fear the condemnation of the second resurrection – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Winning souls to the resurrection of the just should the priority of every Christian. Rather than arguing with amillennialists about a general resurrection, why not contend with the lost regarding their souls? If they die lost, it won’t matter when they come out of the graves; but it will matter that they will eternally condemned to die forever in the lake of fire.

Simple Truths Regarding the Deity of Christ

1. The word “deity” is defined by Noah Webster as “Godhead; divinity; nature and essence of the Supreme Being.” When I speak of the deity of Christ, I am speaking of the fact that Jesus Christ is God Almighty. In this post, I will refer to the “incarnation” of Christ, which is the act of God becoming man.
2. The doctrine of the deity of Christ is one of utmost importance. In II John, John speaks of the “doctrine of Christ” (II John 9). A person’s “doctrine of Christ” is simply what that person believes about the person of Jesus Christ. John goes on to tell us about those who “abide not in the doctrine of Christ.” He is speaking of those who do not believe the truth regarding who Jesus Christ is. John says that if they do not believe the right teaching about Jesus Christ, receive them not into your house (II John 10). For this reason, if a person denies the deity of Christ, it affects the possibility of fellowship I would otherwise enjoy with this individual.
3. Jesus Christ is not merely a prophet, as Muslims teach. Jesus Christ is not just “a god,” as Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. Jesus Christ is not a created being, as those in the so-called “Gospel Assembly” teach. A brief study will show that nearly all cults have a perverted view of the person of Christ.
4. Though Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16-17), it is not enough to teach that Christ is only the Son of God. I know of some who readily admit that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but they have a problem admitting that Jesus Christ is God.
5. In the first chapter of the book of Hebrews, we are told of a conversation between the Father and the Son. In this conversation, the Father refers to the Son as God. “Thy throne, O God,” the Father tells the Son, “is for ever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). Jesus Christ is not just the Son of God; He is God! God the Father said so!
6. Before I was born, I did not exist. Before you were born, you did not exist. However, though these statements are factual in regard to mortal man, they are not accurate in describing the person of Jesus Christ. Christ, unlike any other man, existed before He was born. Before Christ was born, He was “the Word” who was with God, and who was God (John 1:1). Christ was equal with the Father before He took upon Himself human form.
7. There are those who agree that Christ was God before He was born in the flesh. “But when Christ was conceived in the womb of Mary,” they say, “He ceased to be God.” This is complete falsehood. There is no doubt that Christ humbled Himself to forsake the ivory palaces of heaven and come to this cold, wicked world (Philippians 2:8). Theologians for centuries have attempted to describe the self-emptying, the immense humiliation of our Saviour when Deity put on a robe of flesh. I have often said if Christ had come to this earth to live in a palace, he would have taken an incredible step down to do so. But He went further down than that! It is certain that Christ humbled Himself to become a man. But to conclude that Christ was less than God while upon this earth is to preach heresy. Isaiah prophesied of Christ’s birth. In Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah said, “Unto us a child is born!” Isaiah is prophesying here about Christ’s birth. Isaiah goes on to give a list of names whereby Christ would be called. One of those is “the Mighty God!” Isaiah was not talking about Christ before His birth; Isaiah was not talking about Christ after He ascended to heaven; Isaiah plainly tells us that, at His birth, Christ would be called the Mighty God! Christ was the Mighty God the moment He was born. Christ’s coming in the flesh did not cause Him to cease to be God. When Matthew wrote about Christ’s birth, he reminds us that Christ’s birth was a fulfillment of another prophecy of Isaiah – Isaiah 7:14 – “…they shall call His name Emmanuel.” What does Emmanuel mean? Matthew gives us the interpretation in Matthew 1:23 – “God with us.” Again, Matthew is recording Christ’s birth. At His birth, Jesus Christ was “the Mighty God” – “God with us.” If your theology has Christ being less than God while in the flesh, your doctrine is as dead wrong as it can be.
8. Christ, while living in the flesh upon this earth, was simultaneously God and man. He was just as much God as He was human. Yet He was just as much human as He was God. This is a paradox indeed. God is not a man (Numbers 23:19). Man is certainly not God (Psalm 8:4-5). Yet God became a man. Explaining it to the point of satisfaction is an impossibility. The fact of God becoming a man, without losing, giving up, or laying aside His deity, is a mystery indeed (I Timothy 3:16). Though the most brilliant of minds is incapable of fully grasping the truth of the incarnation, we must not allow this incapability to cause us to doubt or disbelieve it. Someone once asked Daniel Webster if he could understand how Jesus Christ could be both God and man. Webster replied, “So conscious am I of the fact that I am a sinner; so keen is my conviction for sin; so great is my realization that I need a Saviour who is greater than I; I must have One whom I cannot understand as my Saviour. If I could understand Jesus Christ, He would be no greater than I. I do not understand how He could be both God and man, but I firmly believe it.”

Simple Truths Regarding Sanctification

1. Most church members know little or nothing about the Biblical doctrine of sanctification. This is sad, particularly because the subject of sanctification is not as complicated as some ministers have made it.
2. The root word “sanctify” means literally “to set apart.” A sister term to “sanctification” is “holiness.” When we talk about someone being “holy” or “sanctified,” we are simply speaking of that person being “set apart” for God.
3. To put the concept of sanctification more simply, sanctification is the process by which Christians become more and more like Christ. This is why it is so grieving to me to watch ministers and Christians argue over the subject of sanctification. While many get involved in angry debates over sanctification, they miss the blessing of sanctification – being conformed more and more into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
4. Contrary to the teaching of some, sanctification is not a second definite work of grace. What I mean by this is that sanctification is not a separate work from salvation.
5. A person is sanctified the moment they are saved. At the moment of salvation, God sets the believer apart for his glory. Some make a statement similar to the following: “I was saved in January, but I was not sanctified until May.” With all due respect, if you were not sanctified until May, then you were not saved until May.
6. At salvation, the believer is sanctified solely by Christ’s work on the cross (Hebrews 10:10). At that moment, the believer is “perfected forever” (Hebrews 10:14).
7. After a person is saved, of course he grows in sanctification. Over time, the believer becomes more like Christ. Believers are sanctified through the word of God (John 17:17), which means that the more we meditate upon the word, the more like Christ we will become (Psalm 119:11). Believers are sanctified by the Spirit (II Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:2), which means that the more we yield to the Holy Spirit, the more like Christ we will become.
8. Rather than being a separate work from salvation, sanctification is a work within salvation. The salvation of the believer is a single work that contains past, present, and future aspects. A person may say, “The Lord saved me” (past tense), and he is absolutely correct! Our salvation is past – we were saved the moment we believed on Christ (Titus 3:5). Another person may say, “The Lord is saving me” (present tense), and that is also correct! Another person may say, “The Lord will save me” (future tense), and there is nothing wrong with that statement (Romans 5:10). I have been saved from the penalty of sin. This is called justification. I am being saved from the practice of sin. This is called sanctification. I will be saved from the presence of sin. This is called glorification, and will come to pass when I receive a glorious body like His body (Philippians 3:21).
9. Sanctification is not an eradication of the sinful nature. Just an honest, simple study of the word “sanctification” (and its variations) in scripture will easily debunk this notion. In Exodus 40:10-11, inanimate objects are said to be sanctified. Did those objects have their sinful natures eradicated? Of course not. In Exodus 19:23, Mount Zion was sanctified. Mount Zion, of course, has no sinful nature. In Exodus 13:2 and Exodus 19:10, Moses sanctified the people. Does a mere man have the power to eradicate the sinful nature of another individual? Of course not. Isaiah 66:17 actually speaks of people sanctifying themselves to commit iniquity. These people certainly retained their sinful natures. In John 10:36 and John 17:19, Christ is said to be sanctified. Did Christ finally overcome His sinful nature? Of course not; He had no sinful nature to overcome! In I Corinthians 7:14, even unbelievers are said to be sanctified! Teaching that sanctification is an eradication of one’s sinful nature is false, as that kind of teaching will hit many snags in scripture.
10. Sanctification is a mark of identification for true believers. Those who belong to Christ are actually predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son (Romans 8:29). Though I wish to be more like Christ, God the Father desires that more than I do. This is a great encouragement to me. When some people think of sanctification, they think of themselves struggling along to sanctify themselves. As they struggle, they picture God the Father looking on, examining their every step, looking for something for which to condemn them. However, it is not like that at all! It is God’s will that I be sanctified (I Thessalonians 4:3). God the Father wants me to be more like Jesus. And He is working through the word and the Spirit to make it happen!

Simple Truths Regarding Salvation

1. Man is lost because of his sin. Sin is the transgression, or breaking, of God’s law (I John 3:4). Even before a person commits a sin on his own, every person is a sinner from the time of his birth (Psalm 58:3). Although all have sinned (Romans 3:23), you did not become a sinner when you sinned; you became a sinner when Adam (the first created man) sinned (Romans 5:19).
2. Man, on his own and at his best, is completely lost and unable to save himself. His best works, the sum of all his righteousnesses, are as filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). Man, without having to do anything, is by nature a child of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
3. Because of his lost condition, man is on his way to a literal, burning, eternal hell. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and the Bible teaches that the lake of fire is called the second death (Revelation 20:14).
4. Because man is completely incapable of saving himself, man must depend upon an outside source to save him. Consequently, God, in his love for mankind (John 3:16), provided a plan to save mankind from the penalty, practice, and presence of sin. We call this plan “salvation.”
5. God’s loving act of providing salvation for mankind is called grace. Man has broken God’s laws, and the penalty of death and hell is just and fair. God could have provided no salvation whatsoever for mankind, and His righteousness would not have been diminished in the least. However, God provided salvation for mankind. When God provided a plan of salvation, every lost individual was “without strength,” or “unable to save himself” (Romans 5:6); every lost individual was a sinner (Romans 5:8); and every lost individual was an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). Hence, man did absolutely nothing to earn salvation. The only thing we earned as lost individuals was a place in hell. When God devised a plan to save man, this plan was not provided because of what man had done; it was provided rather in spite of what man had done. Grace, defined as “the unmerited, or unearned favor of God toward man,” was shown to mankind when God presented a salvation plan to fallen man.
6. God’s plan of salvation is in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. In order to save man, God sent His only begotten Son into the world (John 3:16-17). Jesus Christ lived as a man, yet he lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He never broke a single law of God. Christ never sinned in word, in thought, or in deed. This point is of absolute importance. If Jesus Christ were to save mankind from sin, it was necessary that Christ have no sin whatsoever. And though he was tempted in all points as we are, yet he was proven to be absolutely sinless.
7. Because Jesus Christ, as a man, never committed a single sin, God the Father laid upon Jesus every sin you and I ever committed or ever will commit (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus then paid the penalty of sin, which is death. Jesus died a horrific death upon an old, rugged cross. At the moment of His death, Christ declared “It is finished,” indicating that the penalty of our sins had been completely paid in full (John 19:30). It was very important that Christ be sinless upon the earth. Had Christ committed any sin of His own, He would not have been able to pay for my sins; He would have rather died for His own sins. But since He had no sins of His own for which to die, He could rightfully die for my sins and yours. And He did just that. Christ’s death is sufficient to save the whole world from sin. Absolutely nothing else needs to be done to pay for our sins. To prove that Christ's death was indeed a sacrifice that was holy, without blemish, and accepted by the Father, God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 1:3).
8. Although God showed grace by sending His Son to save us from sin, and although the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to save the entire world (I John 2:2), not everyone will be saved. This is because God’s salvation is not “by grace alone.” In other words, just because God showed grace to you by sending Jesus to die for your sins does not mean that you are saved. Titus 2:11 tells us that God’s grace that brings salvation has appeared to everyone. But everyone will not be saved. Even though Christ died on the cross, some men are yet lost (II Corinthians 4:3). If salvation were “by grace alone,” then the whole world would be saved because God’s grace appeared to whole world when Christ died for all (II Corinthians 5:14-15).
9. The salvation that God provided is “by grace,” but it is also “through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). “By grace” speaks of what God did when He sent Jesus to die upon the cross. But you are not saved until you place your faith in Jesus Christ to save you. When you realize that you are hopelessly and helplessly lost, and you understand that Christ’s death upon the cross is completely sufficient to pay for your every sin, you must then place your faith in Christ and in Him alone to save you. Jesus repeatedly stated and the scriptures continually declare that all you must do to have everlasting life is to “believe” on Jesus Christ (John 1:12; John 3:14-18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:28-29; John 6:35; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 7:38; John 8:24; John 11:25-26; John 12:44-46; John 20:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:39; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 1:16; Romans 3:21-22; Romans 10:9-13; I Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 3:22; I Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 10:39; I John 3:23; I John 5:1; I John 5:4-5). When the Bible says to “believe” on Him, it is not talking about believing in God’s existence, or even believing that Jesus died on the cross. “Believing on Jesus Christ” means that your faith is in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25). You trust nothing and no one except Jesus Christ to save you.
10. To have your faith in Christ means that your faith is in absolutely nothing else outside of Christ to save you. If you think you are saved because you have been baptized, then your faith is in baptism, not in Christ, and consequently, you are lost. If you believe you are saved because you have spoken in tongues, then your faith is not in Christ. If you are trusting sacraments to save you, then you are not believing on Jesus Christ. If you think you are saved because you keep certain standards of dress or standards of separation, then your faith is not in Christ. When Jesus said “No man cometh to the Father but by me” (John 14:6), that’s exactly what He meant.
11. The salvation that God provided is not only “by grace” and “through faith,” but it is also completely “apart from works” (Romans 3:20-21; Romans 4:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). There is not a single work you can do to save yourself, and there is not a single work you can do that will keep you saved. Many admit that salvation is by grace, through faith, and apart from works initially, but “in order to keep your salvation,” they claim, “you must do this, do that, or do the other…” Romans 11:6, however, completely contradicts this. According to Romans 11:6, if a man is saved by grace, then his salvation is no more of works. And if a man is saved by works, then his salvation is no more of grace. You are not granted the privilege to claim to be saved by grace, and then demand certain works to be done to keep your salvation. You are saved either by grace and completely apart from works, or else you are saved by works and completely apart from grace. You cannot mix grace and works into salvation.
12. The act of believing on Jesus Christ for salvation is not a work of the man doing the believing; it is rather the work of God (John 6:29). God has given to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Thus, the faith to believe on Jesus Christ is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
13. Through prayer, a lost man desiring to be saved may express to God that his faith is in Christ. Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Please note that a person’s prayer does not save him; he places his faith in Christ, and Christ saves him. If a man is not fully trusting Christ for salvation, then he may pray all day long, and yet be lost. There is no “sinner’s prayer” recorded in the Bible. There are no certain words to say. You simply must express to the Lord in some way that all of your faith is in Christ and Christ alone. The thief who died upon a cross beside our Lord’s cross said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom.” The Lord promised him, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). A tax collector simply prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” And the Bible said he went home justified (Luke 18:13-14). Saul of Tarsus simply prayed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” He was saved immediately (Acts 9:6). Salvation is not wrapped in certain words; it is rather received by faith. When you simply express to the Lord in prayer that you are trusting Him completely to save you, placing yourself only at His mercy, He will save you the very instant you believe on Him.

Simple Truths Regarding the Holy Spirit

1. He is a person (though not a human person); not merely a force or a power. He is a divine person who can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), resisted (Acts 7:51), quenched (I Thessalonians 5:19), blasphemed (Matthew 12:31), and lied to (Acts 5:3). He contains the ability to both rejoice and weep.
2. As for His name, He is referred to as the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit. Either of these names is correct. The King James translators seemed to favor the term “Holy Ghost.” But they did translate His name “Holy Spirit,” as in Luke 11:13. I personally use both terms interchangeably. He has many titles, including “the Spirit,” “Spirit of God,” “Holy Spirit of God,” “Spirit of the Father,” and “Spirit of Christ.”
3. The Holy Ghost is deity. This means that He is God Almighty. Just as the Father is called God (I Corinthians 8:6), the Son is also referred to as God (Hebrews 1:8). Just as the Son is referred to as God, the Holy Spirit is also called God (Acts 5:3-4).
4. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit “came upon” individuals from time to time. The idea of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside individuals, living in their hearts continually, was foreign to the Old Testament saints. In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon individuals “at times” (Judges 13:25).
5. Since the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes to live in every believer. Before Christ went to the cross, He told his disciples that the Holy Spirit was presently with them. He was with them because Christ was with them, and the Holy Ghost was with Christ. However, Christ promised them that, after the Holy Spirit would be poured out, that He would not just be with them, but He would be in them (John 14:17). Christ promised that the Holy Ghost would abide with them, not just visit them from time to time. Christ also promised that, when the Holy Ghost came to abide with them, living within them, that He would abide with them forever (John 14:16).
6. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the body of believers known as the church. Since the Holy Ghost came to abide with the church forever (John 14:16), there will never be a need for another Pentecost. To say that we need another Pentecost is as ignorant as saying that we need another Calvary. What Christ did upon the cross was sufficient, being a “once for all” event, and what Christ did when He prayed the Father to send the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is also a “once for all” event. Just as I was crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), buried with Christ (Romans 6:12; Colossians 2:12), and risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1), it is also true that when Christ ascended, I was seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3), and I was baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13) on the day of Pentecost.
7. Although the disciples were “with one accord” in the upper room (Acts 2:1), this is not why the Holy Ghost was poured out on the day of Pentecost. It was predestined that the Holy Spirit would come on the day of Pentecost. He would have arrived on the day of Pentecost whether or not the disciples were with one accord. Christ, being our Passover (I Corinthians 5:7), was slain on the feast of Passover, fulfilling the Jewish feast of the Passover. Christ was buried, fulfilling the feast of unleavened bread. Christ was resurrected, fulfilling the feast of firstfruits. And Christ prayed the Father to send the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, fulfilling the Jewish feast of Pentecost.
8. Since the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit lives inside of the believer from the moment of conversion. Galatians 4:6 plainly teaches that God sent forth the Holy Spirit into your hearts. Galatians 4:6 also tells why God sent forth the Holy Spirit into your hearts – not because you tarried; not because you prayed; not because you spoke in tongues; but rather because ye are sons. The Bible is plain – God sends the Spirit into a person’s heart because that person has become a son, or child, of God. Now the question must be asked, “How does a person become a son?” John 1:12 answers the question concisely – “But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even as many as believe on His name.” A person becomes a son by simply believing on Jesus Christ (John 1:12), and God gives that person the Holy Spirit because they are a son (Galatians 4:6). Hence, the Holy Spirit dwells within an individual at the very moment they believe on Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:9, Paul reiterates this, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit of Christ within him, then that person does not belong to God.
9. You do not have the Holy Ghost because you prayed; you have the Holy Ghost because He prayed. In John 14:16, Jesus promised, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.”
10. At the moment of conversion, when the Holy Spirit takes up residence within the believer, the Holy Spirit then baptizes the individual into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13).
11. Just because an individual has been converted, and the Holy Spirit lives within them, does not mean that the individual has been filled with the Holy Spirit. Those in the Ephesian church had already trusted in Christ (Ephesians 1:12-13). Yet, Paul commands them to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
12. The experience of being “filled with the Spirit” is given to the believer that he might fulfill the Great Commission, being a witness to a lost and dying world. It is inconsistent to emphasize the experience of being filled with the Spirit, but refuse to emphasize the subject of soul winning. They go hand in hand. A person who claims to be filled with the Holy Ghost for the past twenty years, but has not lifted a finger to win a single soul to Christ in those twenty years, is a hypocrite. Every time the scripture gives the Great Commission in one of its forms, the scripture also gives the command to be filled with the Spirit. In Matthew 28:18, Christ says “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” But why does He speak of the power? Why is the power emphasized in verse 18? The power is emphasized in verse 18 because the Great Commission is given in verses 19 and 20. We need the power of the Holy Ghost to carry out the Great Commission. In Mark 16:15-16, Christ gives the commission to go and preach the gospel to every creature. Then, Christ says, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” But there are no signs except to those fulfilling the Great Commission. In Luke 24:47, Christ tells the disciples that remission of sins is to be preached. Then, in Luke 24:49, He commands them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Then, in Acts 1:8, Christ again tells the disciples that they will receive power, and that the power will be given to them for the purpose of being witnesses.
13. The experience of being “filled with the Holy Ghost” is not a one-time experience. The disciples were filled in Acts 2 (Acts 2:4), but they were filled again in Acts 4 (Acts 4:31). We should be filled with the Spirit as consistently as we are working for God.