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By James L. Thornton In This Study We Would Like To Emphasize That Man Is A Sinner, Having Inherited Adam’s Sinful Nature At Birth. And That Man Does Not Have It In His Power To Save Himself, But God Made Provisions For The Salvation Of Man Through The Shed Blood Of His Son Jesus Christ. The Following Links Lead To Some Of The Different Subjects We Will Be Studying.
INTRODUCTION, MAN'S NEED OF SALVATION“For All Have Sinned And Come Short Of The Glory Of God.” (Romans 3:23) When God Created Adam And Eve, They Were Created Sinless, But They Disobeyed God’s Command, And Judgment Came Upon Them. They Were Cast Out Of The Garden, They Had To Toil For Their Living, Pain And Suffering Became Their Lot, But Worst Of All Was The Guilt Of Sin Brought About By Their Disobedience. SIN IS HEREDITARY Romans 5:12. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (KJV)” Romans 5:10. “There Is None Righteous, No Not One.”
OUR WORKS CANNOT SAVE US: Titus 3:5. “Not By Works Of Righteousness Which We Have Done, But According To His Mercy He Saved Us.” OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS CANNOT SAVE US: Isaiah 64:6. “But We Are All As An Unclean Thing, And All Our Righteousness Are As Filthy Rags.” WE CANNOT LIVE GOOD ENOUGH TO SAVE US. Matthew 19:17. “There Is None Good But One, That Is God.” OUR RELIGION CANNOT SAVE US. Romans 3:20. “Therefore By The Deeds Of The Law There Shall No Flesh Be Justified In His Sight.” Galatians 2:16. “Knowing That A Man Is Not Justified By…The Law…But By Faith Of Jesus Christ ONLY GOD SAVES US A.GOD'S PROVISION FOR SALVATIONThroughout The Bible There Is A Trail Of Blood.
Beginning When God Slew An Animal To Cover Adam And Eve, Through Able, Noah, Abraham, The Lamb In Egypt, The Hebrew Sacrifices, And Finally Jesus’ Death On Calvary. Hebrews 9:22. “And Almost All Things Are By The Law Purged With Blood; And Without The Shedding Of Blood There Is No Remission Of Sins.” (KJV) Isaiah 53:5. “He Was Wounded For Our Transgressions, He Was Bruised For Our Iniquities,
Jesus Christ Became The “Lamb Of God Which Takes Away The Sin Of The World.” (John 1:29.) The Only Way Our Sins Can Be Remitted Is Through The Shed Blood Of Jesus Christ. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN We Have Only One Plan Of Salvation To Teach In The Church Dispensation. Ephesians 4:5. “One Lord, One Faith One Baptism,..”
John 3:5. “Jesus Answered, Verily, Verily, I Say Unto Thee, Except A Man Be Born Of The Water And The Spirit, He Cannot Enter Into The Kingdom Of God. (JKV) Because Adam By Transgression Fell (Genesis 3) All Men Are Sinners, And Must Be Spiritually Born Again. Psalms 51:5. “Behold, I Was Shapen In Iniquity, And In Sin Did My Mother Conceive Me. . Matthew 28:18. And Jesus Came And Spake Unto Them Saying, All Power Is Given Unto Me In Heaven And In Earth.
Mark 16:15. And He Said Unto Them, Go Ye Into All The World And Preach The Gospel To Every Creature.
Luke 24:45. Then Opened He Their Understanding, That They Might Understand The Scriptures,
. C. FAITH TOWARDS GODThe First Step To Salvation Is Faith.Hebrews 11:6. “But Without Faith It Is Impossible To Please Him: For He That Cometh To God Must Believe That He Is (Believe That God Exists), And That He Is A Rewarder Of Those Who Diligently Seek Him.” We Must Accept The Bible’s Description Of A God Who Made Humans In His Own Image, Who Has All The Attributes Of Personhood, Such As Thought, Will, Emotions, Ect., That Constitute Our Personhood.
He Had No Need To Create The Universe, The Earth, Or Us, In Order To Sustain His Existence, But It Pleased Him To Do So. GOD HAD A REASON FOR CREATION From The Bible’s Supernatural Revelation We Learn Of How God Himself Took On Human Flesh To Die For Us, Demonstrating In The Most Extreme Way Possible, His Will, His Purpose, His Love For Us. . D. REPENTANCEOne Of The Most Important Doctrines In The Bible Is “Repentance” And Yet We Find It Is Many Times Little Understood, And Sometimes Ignored Completely. It Is Impossible To Obtain Salvation Without Bible Repentance.(Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30)The Reason Why Thousands Of Professed Christians Have No True Change Of Heart And Consequently Know Nothing Of A Holy Life In Christ Is Because They Have Never Experienced True Bible Repentance. The Word “Repent” (Metanoeo) Literally Means “To Change The Mind,” “To Have Second Thoughts” Or “To Regret.” The Christian Era Started When John The Baptist Came Preaching, Saying, “Repent Ye: For The Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand.” (Matthew 3:2)
John’s Preaching Set The Bible Standard Of Repentance For The Christian Era. (Luke 3:10-14) Even The Religious Leaders Who Came Out To Hear John Were Warned They Could Not Expect Automatic Participation In The Kingdom Just Because They Were Descendants Of Abraham. It Was Not Their Bloodline That Would Prepare Them For The Day Of The Lord, But A Genuine Repentance, A Turning Away From Their Sins To The Paths Of Righteousness. (Matthew 3:7-10) The Sign And Seal Of This Repentance Was Baptism, Which John Administered In The Jordan River. (Matthew 3:6) Our Lord Began His Ministry With The Same Message As John Preached: “Repent For The Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand.” (Matthew 4:17) At Pentecost Peter Opened The Door To The Christian Church With A Call To Israel To Repent Of Crucifying The Lord And To Express That Change By Being Baptized In Water. (Acts 2:38) God’s Desire Is “That All Should Come To Repentance.”(2 Peter 3:9). E. REMORSETo Have Remorse (Metamelomai) Is Similar In Both Greek And English To Repentance. It Is Used Only Five Times In The New Testament, Once For God (Hebrew 7:12) Jesus Also Used This Verb Twice In His Parable Of The Two Sons (Matthew 21:29) Judas Is A Clear Example Of The Difference Between Repentance And Remorse: “Judas, Which Had Betrayed Him, When He Saw That He Was Condemned, Repented Himself (Metamelomai), And Brought Again The Thirty Pieces Of Silver To The Chief Priests And Elders, Saying, I Have Sinned In That I Have Betrayed The Innocent Blood. (Matthew 27:3,4) Judas Was Sorry For His Sin, But He Did Not Repent And Seek Forgiveness, As Peter Did Who Went Out And Wept Bitterly. (Luke 22:62) Paul Uses Both Concepts: “For Godly Sorrow Worketh Repentance (Metanoia) To Salvation Not To Be Repented Of (Ametameletos) (2 Corinthians 7:10)
. F. CONVERTConvert (Strepho, Epistrepho) Means “To Turn,” As When We Say “She Turned Protestant,” Meaning She Converted From Some Other Belief. People Raised In Christian Homes Often Find It Hard To Conceive Of Being “Converted” To Christ Since They Learned To Know Him Gradually. However, Whether One Knows The Time Or Not, There Must Be A Point When One Turns From Self And Sin To Accept The Lord Jesus. Jesus Says, “Except Ye Be Converted (Srepho), And Become As Little Children, Ye Shall Not Enter Into The Kingdom Of Heaven." (Matthew 18:3) In His Defense Before Agrippa, Paul Spoke Of Both Repentance And Conversion.
What Paul Told His Hearers To Do, All Should Do When Coming To Faith In The Lord Jesus. . G. WATER BAPTISMActs 2:37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Romans 6:3.Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW 28:19 Please Notice That Matthew, Mark, And Luke Each Records The Great Commission In Different Words, But Each Compliments Each Other. JESUS SAID, “Go Ye Therefore And Teach All Nations, Baptizing Them In The Name Of The Father, And Of The Son, And Of The Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19)
The Apostle Peter Used The Authority Given To Him By Jesus Correctly On The Day Of Pentecost When He Baptized In The Name Of Jesus Christ. THE WORDS FATHER, SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST ARE NOT NAMES BUT TITLES. JESUS SAID, "I AM COME IN MY FATHER'S NAME." (John 4:43)
THE NAME OF ALL THREE IS JESUS. . H. THE NAME IN BAPTISMMatthew 28:19. “Baptizing Them In The Name…..”
Did The Apostle Peter Exercise The Authority That Jesus Gave Him In Matthew 16:18. And The Command In Matthew 28:19 ? The Name Of The Father Is Jesus. John 5:43. “I Am Come In My Father’s Name And Ye Receive Me Not.” The Name Of The Son Is Jesus. Matthew 1:21. “And She Shall Bring Forth A Son And Thou Shall Call His Name JESUS: For He Shall Save His People From Their Sins.” The Name Of The Holy Ghost Is Jesus. John 14:26. “But The Comforter, Which Is The Holy Ghost, Whom The Father Will Send In My Name, He Shall Teach You All Things.”
Therefore The Name Of The Father Is Jesus, The Name Of The Son Is Jesus, And The Name Of The Holy Ghost Is Jesus. When Peter And The Apostles Baptized In The Name Of The Lord Jesus Christ, They Were Properly Obeying The Baptismal Command Of Jesus? Colossians 3:17. “And Whatsoever Ye Do In Word Or Deed, Do All In The Name Of The Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians 6:11. “And Such Were Some Of You, But Ye Are Washed, But Ye Are Sanctified, But Ye Are Justified In The Name Of The Lord Jesus, And By The Spirit Of Our God.” Colossians 2:9. “For In Him (Christ) Dwelleth All The Fulness Of The Godhead Bodily.”
. I. THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOMMatthew 16:19. "And I will give unto thee the key to the kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven." THE APOSTLE PETER USED THE KEYS TO OPEN THE DOOR.1. FIRST Used To The Jews At Pentecost: Read (Acts 2:36-39) 2. SECOND It Was Used To The Samaritans: Acts 8:14. “Now When The Apostles Which Were At Jerusalem Heard That Samaria Had Received The Word Of God They Sent Unto Them Peter And John: Who When They Were Come Down, Prayed For Them, That They Might Receive The Holy Ghost: (For As Yet He Had Fallen On None Of Them: Only They Were Baptized In The Name Of The Lord Jesus. 3. THIRD Time It Was Used To The Gentiles.
“For They Heard Them Speak With Tongues, And Magnify God. Then Answered Peter, BAPTISM BY IMMERSION Romans 6:4. “We Are Buried With Him By Baptism…” (Immersion) When Jesus Was Baptized By John In The Jordan River,
When Philip Baptized The Eunuch, Both Went Down Into The Water & Then They Both Came Up Out Of The Water. (Acts 8:36-39) (Immersion) The Word Baptize Is Derived From The Greek Word ‘Baptizo’ Which Means To Dip, Immerse, Plunge Or Sink. (Greek-English Lexicon) The Early Church Always Baptized By Immersion Of The Entire Body Into Water, And Nowhere At Any Time By Sprinkling Or Pouring. FOR REFERENCE SEE: ---
. J. BAPTISM IS ESSENTIAL TO SALVATIONThe Apostle Peter, Writing More Than Thirty Years After Jesus Ascended Back To Heaven, Tells Us That Baptism Is Part Of God’s Plan Of Salvation. 1 Peter 3:21. “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (KJV) An-a-ni-as At The Conversion Of Paul Tells Him That Baptism Washes Away Sins. Acts 22:16. “ And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (KJV) Peter Commanded Cornelius To Be Baptized Even After He Had Received The Holy Ghost. Acts 10:47. “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Paul Rebaptized Some Of John The Baptist’s Disciples In The Name Of The Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:1-6)
Matthew 1:21. “Thou Shalt Call His Name Jesus: For He Shall Save His People from Their Sins.” FOR IDENTITY: The Family Name: “Jesus Christ, Of Whom The Whole Family In Heaven And Earth Is Named.” (Ephesians 3:14,15) IN BUSINESS: A Name Makes Checks Legal And Business Papers Valid: “Do All In The Name Of The Lord Jesus.” (Colossians 3:17) IN MARRIAGE: The Bride Promises To Assume Her Husband’s Name: “God Did Visit The Gentiles, To Take Out Of Them A People For His Name.” (Acts 15:14) IN SALVATION:REMISSION OF SINS IN HIS NAME.(Acts 10:43.)“Neither Is There Salvation In Any Other: For There Is None Other Name Under Heaven Given Among Men, Whereby We Must Be Saved!” (Acts 4:12) THE LORD HAS MANY TITLES, BUT IN REDEMPTION ONLY ONE NAME “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, Everlasting Father, The Prince Of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) “In That Day There Shall Be One Lord, And His Name One” (Zechariah 14:9.) “And The Lord Said, I Am Jesus” (Acts 9:5.) JESUS-- "A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME"(Philippians 2:9.)A FACT OF HISTORY “The Early Church Always Baptized In The Name Of The Lord Jesus…” (Canney Ency., Pg. 53) “The Original Form Of Words “Into The Name Of Jesus Christ Or Lord Jesus.” (Dict. Of The Bible By Scribners, Pg. 241) A FACT OF SCRIPTURE In Every Instance Recorded In Scripture In Which People Were Baptized By Those In The Early Church All Were Baptized In The Name Of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38),
Colossians 2:8. “Beware Lest Any Man Spoil You Through Philosophy And Vain Deceit, After The Traditions Of Men, After The Rudiments Of The World, And Not After Christ.
. K. THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISMHere Are Some Scriptural Foundation For The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit. John 4:24. God Is A Spirit: And They That Worship Him Must Worship Him In Spirit And In Truth.” John 3:5. Jesus Answered, Verily, Verily, I Say Unto Thee, Except A Man Be Born Of The Water And Of The Spirit, He Cannot Enter Into The Kingdom Of God.
John The Baptist Said To Those Who Came To His Baptism, Matthew 3:11. “I Indeed Baptize You With Water Unto Repentance: But He That Comet After Me Is Mightier Than I, Whose Shoes I Am Not Worthy To Bear: He Shall Baptize You With The Holy Ghost, And With Fire. PROPHECY OF THE HOLY GHOST Isaiah 28:11. For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Acts 1:5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (KJV) Act 1:8. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV) The Above Scriptures Have Been Quoted To Confirm That New Testament Saints Are Baptized With The Holy Ghost. THE DISPENSATION OF THE HOLY GHOST 120 BELIEVERS WERE IN THE UPPER ROOM ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, INCLUDING THE MOTHER OF JESUS (Acts 1:14-15.) Just Before Jesus Ascended Back Into Heaven He Gave His Followers One Last Message. Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (KJV) THIS WAS FULFILLED TEN DAYS LATER ON PENTECOST. Acts 2:1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
THE INITIAL EVIDENCE OF THE HOLY GHOST Isaiah 28:11. For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. (KJV) Jesus Told His Disciples “But When The Comforter (The Holy Ghost) Is Come, Even The Spirit Of Trurh, He Shall Testify Of Me:” The Holy Spirit Did Not Come Quietly And Take Up His Abode In The Lives Of Those In The Early Church, But It Came Vocally, Speaking For Himself In An Unusual Way. In Every Instance In The Bible In Which Anyone Received The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost It Is Recorded That They Spoke In Tongues. 120 Jews, Including The 12 Apostles And Mary, The Mother Of Jesus And His Brothers, Were Assembled In An Upper Room On The Day Of Pentecost When The Holy Ghost Was First Given. (Acts 1:14) (THE HOLY SPIRIT SPAKE THROUGH THEM)Acts 2:3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
THE SAMARITANS(Acts 8: 15-19) Spoke With Tongues When They Received The Holy Spirit, Otherwise How Could Simon The Sorcerer Have Known That It Was Some Special Gift Which He Was Willing To Buy From Peter And John?He Could Have Seen Nothing Less Than That Which Happened At Pentecost To Have Induced Him To Offer Money That He, Too, Might Perform Such A Miracle. THE GENTILES(Acts 10:44-48) Spake With Tongues When They Received The Holy Ghost While Peter Was Preaching To Them. Acts 10:44. “…, The Holy Ghost Fell On All Them Which Heard The Word.
Paul Found Certain Disciples Of John The Baptist, When He Asked Them If They Had Received The Holy Ghost They Replied That They Had Not, So Paul Explained It. Acts 19:5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST AND FIRE It Has Been Said That There Are Thirty Thousand Promises In The Bible, Yet This Is The Specific One That God Has Exalted Above All Others. WITHOUT A DOUBT TO BE BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS THE HIGHEST EXPERIENCE ANYONE CAN RECEIVE IN THIS LIFE. In The Old Testament The Holy Spirit Came To Rest Occasionally On Some Individuals, Usually Priests, Prophets, Kings, Or Judges, Yet This Anointing Was Always Temporary. God Promised Through The Prophets That The Day Was Coming When He Would Give His Spirit To All Men. Joel 2:28. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (KJV) THE HOLY GHOST BAPTISM IS GOD HIMSELF COMING TO DWELL IN HIS PEOPLE, NOT WITH THEM, BUT “IN” THEM. Since The Fall Of Adam Men Have Had A Struggle With The Old Sinful Nature, And By His Own Strength The Battle Was Never Entirely Won, So God Comes Into Our Lives Through The Holy Ghost To Help Us Live An Overcoming Life. John The Baptist Told His Followers “I Indeed Baptize You With Water Unto Repentance; …. But He (Jesus) Shall Baptize You With The Holy Ghost, And With Fire.” (Matthew 3:11) Water Baptism Is The Type Of “Putting Off” The Sins Of A Person After He Has Repented, Or Turned Toward God, That’s Where Remission, Or Washing Away Our Sins, Takes Place. (Acts 2:38)
“It Is The Answer Of A Good Conscience Toward God,” The Apostle Peter Tells Us (1 Peter 3:21), They Were To Cease Their Wrong Doing, To Put Away Evil Practices, To Submit To Baptism To Wash Away Their Particular Sins From The Record Of Their Lives, This Is The Proper Beginning Of Moral Reformation; But It Is Only A Beginning. FIRE-BAPTISM Is The Type Of Burning Out The Soul Of Sin, The Very Love Of Sin, This Comes Through The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost. FIRE IS A CLEANSER; Malachi 3:2. “..? For He (Holy Spirit) Is Like A Refiner’s Fire,” The Fire Is To “Try Every Man’s Work, Of What Sort It Is.” (1 Corinthians 3:13) The Fire Of The Holy Ghost Comes To Deal With That Spiritual Condition Out Of Which The Acts Of Sin Come. Remember John Said, --- “I Baptize With Water,….He Shall Baptize You With The Holy Ghost And Fire.” (Matthew 3:11) JOHN BAPTIZED THE BODY ONLY, JESUS BAPTIZES THE SOUL. The Baptism Of Water Is Outward And Ceremonial, That Of The Holy Ghost Is Inward And Spiritual. Jesus Christ Enters The Soul With Flames To Burn The Evil Out Of The Hearts Of Men In The Consuming Power Of The Holy Spirit And Kindles The Fire Of A New Life. It Is Only Through The Power Of The Holy Ghost That Man Has Sufficient Ability, Or Resources, To Live Free Of The Power Of Sin. Before The Infilling Of The Holy Ghost At Pentecost, Man Had To Wage The Battle Against Fleshly Lust By His Own Will Power, But Now We Have God’s Spirit Within, Helping Us With All Our Struggles. The Holy Ghost Will Be Poured So Abundantly Upon You, That He Will Cleanse You From All Sins And Dross. . L. THE BENEFITS OF THE HOLY GHOST1. It Is By The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost That WE BECOME MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. 1 Corinthians 12:13, For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body (The Church), whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (KJV) I Think We Can All Agree That The Church Began On The Day Of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41) When The Holy Ghost Came And Filled All That Were In The House. IF IT TOOK THE HOLY GHOST TO FORM THE CHURCH, IT WOULD SURELY TAKE THE SAME EXPERIENCE TO ADD MEMBERS TO THE CHURCH. Paul Makes Some Strong Statements Concerning The Necessity Of The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost To The Church At Rome. Romans 8:9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (KJV) 2. IT IS BY THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST THAT WE ARE SEALED. Ephesians 1:13. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, (KJV) The Sealing By The Holy Spirit Has A Twofold Purpose, For Identification Of Ownership, And For Preservation. THE SEAL OR MARK OF OWNERSHIP When A King Or Monarch Wanted To Mark Something Which Belonged To Him, Or To Make His Approval Of Something Known, He Stamped It With His Official Seal. The Church Was Purchased With The Precious Blood Of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:19),
And He Puts His Mark Of Ownership On It’s Members When They Are Sealed With The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 6:19. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2 Timothy 2:19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (KJV) Romans 8:9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (KJV) THE SEAL OF PRESERVATION In Revelation We Find That God Puts His Seal Of Preservation On His People To Protect Them From All The Calamities Of This Life. Revelation 7:3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. (KJV) I Have Already Stated That Under The Old Testament Dispensation Man Fought His Struggles By The Strength Of His Own Will And Might. In The Days Of Isaiah The Prophet God Was Explaining That In The Not Too Far Distant Future The Lord Himself Shall Be A Barrier Against The Foes That Come Against His People, (Isaiah 59:16-20). Isaiah 59:19b. ... When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (KJV)
The Holy Ghost Working In A Person’s Life Is One Of The Most Powerful Forces In The Universe, As Paul Described It In His Letter To Corinth. 2 Corinthians 10:3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
There Is No Safer Place Anywhere Than To Put Your Whole Trust In Jesus And Stay Filled With The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost, Because, Paul Says “Your Life Is Hid With Christ In God,” (Colossians 3:3b). THE HOLY GHOST IS THE EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE Ephesians 1:13. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
The Word “EARNEST” As Paul Uses It Here Is, Money Which, In Purchases, Is Given As A Down Payment Or Pledge That The Full Amount Will Subsequently Be Paid. THE CHURCH IS THE ONLY THING THAT GOD EVER PURCHASED(1 Peter 1:18-19).And What A Price He Paid For It, The Blood Of His Son, And He Gave It (The Church) The Holy Ghost As The Earnest, Or Partial Payment Until He Comes To Redeem His Purchased Possession. Just Think Of All The Joy, The Blessings, And All The Other Benefits Associated With The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost, And Then Come To The Realization That This Is Just A Partial Payment, A Very Small Percentage Of What Is Waiting For Us In Heaven. There Is A Very Beautiful Story In The Old Testament (Genesis 24) Where Abraham’s Servant Went To Find A Bride For Isaac And When He Found Rebekah He Gave Her Gifts Of Gold And Silver And Jewels Telling Her “My Master Is Rich”. In Other Words “Ten Camels Could Not Begin To Bring It All, This Is Only The Dowry.” THE HOLY GHOST IS THE OIL FOR OUR LAMPSIn Matthew 25. Jesus Gives The Parable Of The Ten Virgins In Which Five Of Them Were Called “Foolish” Because When The Bridegroom Came They Had No Oil In Their Lamps And Could Not Enter The Wedding Feast. The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost Is The Oil That Gives Us Entrance Into The Wedding Supper, Don’t Be Without It. THE HOLY GHOST IS OUR WEDDING GARMENT In Revelation 19:7-8. We Read Of The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb, And It Describes The Brides Wedding Garment As “ Fine Linen, Clean And White, In Matthew 22:2-14. Jesus Gives Us A Parable Of A Man Found At The Marriage Supper Not Having On A Wedding Garment.
The Holy Ghost Is That Wedding Garment, And Since It Is So Important That Every Believer Be Baptized With The Holy Ghost, It Is Very Necessary That We Hold God’s Standard Up Before Men And Urge Them To Be Filled With The Holy Ghost. . M. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRITAfter The Holy Ghost Is Received, There Are Things That Take Place In Our Lives Which Authenticate It’s Presence, The Bible Calls This The Fruit Of The Spirit. Galatians 5:22. "But The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentlness, Goodness, Faith,
Romans 14:17. "For The Kingdom Of God Is Not Meat And Drink: But Righteousness, And Peace, And Joy In The Holy Ghost. The Receiving Of The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost Is The Most Life Changing Experience That A Person Can Receive In This Life. . N. CHRIST OUR SANCTIFICATIONIt Has Been Rightly Said That “Salvation Is The Work Of A Moment, But The Making Of A Saint Is The Work Of A Lifetime.” BIBLE SANCTIFICATION IS A VERY BASIC AND IN-DEPTH WORK OF GRACE.In The King James Version Of The Bible The Same Basic Greek Word (Hagios) Is Translated Into Six Different English Words, Depending On How The Word Is Used In The Text. The Words Holy, Saint, Sanctify, Hallow, Holiness, And Sanctification All Have The Same Basic Meaning, Or Root. In The Old Testament, Especially Leviticus, The Holy Spirit Stresses The Importance Of Holiness In Everyday Life. Peter Quotes Leviticus 11:44, “Be Ye Holy: For I Am Holy,” As Crucial To A True Christian Walk (1 Peter 1:16). Holy, Saint Was A Very Rare Word In Classical Greek, But Is An Important Part Of The New Testament Vocabulary. Its Fundamental Idea, Or Meaning, Is Separation, And Consecration And Devotion To The Service Of God. The Word Is First Used In The New Testament For The Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18), And Many Times After.
Because God Is Thrice Holy Himself (Isaiah 6:3), He Wants His People To Be Holy, Too. Sometimes The Word (Hagios) Is Used As A Noun, And Then It Is Translated “Saint”.
For Example, 2 Corinthians Is Addressed To “All The Saints Which Are In All Achaia” (2 Corinthians 1:1).
The Answer Is That Sanctification Has A Positional, As Well As A Practical Aspect. All Believers Are Set Apart By The Holy Spirit When They Are Born Again Of The Water And The Spirit. They Become Saints, That, Is POSITIONAL SANCTIFICATION. But These Saints Should Also Be Constantly Growing More Holy In Actual Life Style. That, Is PRACTICAL OR PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION. The Corinthians Were Urged To Join Paul In PRACTICAL SANCTIFICATION, “Perfecting Holiness In The Fear Of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Paul Prayed That God Would Establish The Thessalonians’ “Hearts Unblameable In Holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:13) PRACTICAL SANCTIFICATION, Or, “Perfecting Holiness”, Is An ON GOING PROCESS In Our Lives, And Requires Us, “To Put Off The Former Conversation (Life) The Old Man, Which Is Corrupt”… And To, “Put On The New Man, Which After God Is Created In Righteousness And True Holiness,” (Ephesians 4:22 & 24). Jesus Christ Came To This World And Walked Among Men Demonstrating The Life That He Asked His Followers To Lead.
CHRIST OUR SANCTIFICATION 1 Corinthians 1:30. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" (KJV) Here We Find That Jesus Is Our Sanctification. It Is Of God. Jesus Is Made Unto Us Sanctification, That Is, Of His Deity (Not His Humanity). The Divinity Of Christ Is None Other Than The Holy Spirit That Comes Into Us And Becomes Our Sanctification, It Is He, And He Alone, That Can Set Us Apart From Our Self Life (The Old Self). Some Will Inquire Why The Old Self Is Not Educated, Disciplined, Or Reformed, And Brought Into A Spiritual State. Why Is It Set Aside And Nailed To The Cross? We Will Turn To The Bible For The Answer To These Questions. The Scripture Plainly Teaches Us That The Old Fleshly Nature Of The Unsaved Man Is Incapable Of Improvement Or Transformation. Therefore, There Was But One Way To Deal With It, And That Was To Set It Aside And Bring In An Entirely New Nature That Is Fitted For The Service Of God And The Fellowship Of Heaven. Jesus Had This Truth In Mind When He Said To Nicodemus In John 3:5,6, “Ye Must Be Born Again…That Which Is Born Of Flesh Is Flesh; And That Which Is Born Of The Spirit Is Spirit.” Here Jesus Shows The Utter Impossibility Of The Improvement Of The Flesh And The Absolute Necessity Of The New Birth. Romans 8:3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Here Paul Says That The Flesh Is Weak. If There Had Been Any Moral Or Spiritual Strength In The Flesh, Sanctification Might Have Come By The Law For “The Law Is Holy…And Just And Good,” (Romans 7:12.) The Law Was Even Spiritual, But The Ones Who Tried To Keep It Were Carnal, Sold Under Sin; The Flesh Was Too Weak To Meet Its Requirements. Likewise Today We Might Set Up High Ideals And Make Good Resolutions, But Cannot Live Up To Them Because There Is No Strength To Carry Them Out. One May Talk Much Of Christ As An Example But He Finds That In The Natural He Has No Strength To Follow Him. Romans 8:7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (KJV) Here We Find That The Carnal Mind Is Enmity Against God. There Is A Difference Between Being At Enmity Against Someone And Being An Enemy Of Someone. Enemies Can Be Reconciled, But There Can Be No Reconciliation Where There Is Enmity. The Flesh Is Not Only Weak, But It Is At Enmity Against God. Any Show Of Piety One Has Before He Is Saved And Filled With God’s Spirit Is Only A Sham. Romans 8:8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
You Can Whitewash The Flesh And Put It Forward And Exalt It, But Its Nature Remains The Same. Human Nature Is The Same Regardless Of Environment Or Position. A Kitten Has Clean Habits. By Nature It Will Wash And Keep Itself Clean, But The Swine Is A Creature Of Filth And Never Will Be Found With Clean Habits. You Can Take A Little Pig Before It Has Ever Seen A Mud Hole And Bring It Into The House, Wash It, Put A Ribbon On Its Neck And Give It The Place Of A Kitten; But At The First Chance It Will Plunge Into The Filthiest Mud Hole It Can Find, Ribbon And All. On The Other Hand You Can Put A Kitten Into A Mud Hole And It Will Get Out As Soon As Possible And Clean Up. Why Is This Difference Between The Pig And The Kitten?
One Tree Will Bring Forth Good Sweet Apples And Another Tree Will Bring Forth Sour Apples. You Can Take The Tree That Bears Sour Apples And Cultivate It, Prune It And Give It The Best Of Care, But It Will Continue To Bring Forth Sour Apples Because That Is Its Nature. Man Is Just As Helpless To Change His Own Nature As Is The Pig, The Kitten, The Apple Trees. Therefore, God Gives Us A New Nature And Nails The Old One To The Cross. The New Nature Is Given To Us In Christ By The Power Of The Holy Ghost. Romans 8:12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Let Us Now Consider Romans 6:6. As Given In The Weymouth Translation:
From This Verse We See That It Takes Christ To Deprive The Self Life Of Its Power, As It Is Reckoned To Be Dead. Romans 6:11. Brings Out That There Is To Be A Double Reckoning, First, That We “Be Dead Indeed Unto Sin.” Then Comes The Second, And More Important, That We Reckon Ourselves “Alive Unto God Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.” HEREIN LIES THE SECRET OF OUR VICTORY OVER SIN. Paul Says, “I Am Crucified With Christ: Nevertheless I Live; Yet Not I, But Christ Liveth In Me: And The Life Which I Now Live In The Flesh I Live By The Faith Of The Son Of God, Who Loved Me, And Gave Himself For Me.” (Galatians 2:20) Notice He Says, "I AM CRUCIFIED" AND "I LIVE."
He Lives After The New Nature While He Is Dead To The Old Self. . O. SANCTIFICATION BY THE WORDJohn 17:17. (Jesus Praying For His Disciples) “Sanctify Them Through Thy Truth: Thy Word Is Truth.” In This Lesson We Will See That SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT AND SANCTIFICATION BY THE WORD ARE LINKED TOGETHER;
1 Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
We Have Been Studying How The Holy Spirit Is On The Inside Of Us Working To Purify And Cleanse Us From Sin. In This Lesson We Will Study How That The Word Of God (The Bible), Which Is On The Outside Of Us, But As We Eat Of It And Get It On The Inside, It, Too, Works To Sanctify Us. THE WORD OF GOD IS SPIRITUAL FOOD WE EAT; We Live By It. In Matthew 4:4. Jesus Told Satan That “Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone, But By Every Word That Proceedeth Out Of The Mouth Of God.” The Holy Spirit In Us Receives The Word And Reveals, Through The Word, The Will Of God To Us. God Gives Us A Perfect Standing When The Blood Is Applied Because, By It, We Are Cleansed From All Sin. But We Can Only Hold This Perfect Standing On Condition That We Walk On Towards The Perfecting Of Our State As The Will Of God Is Revealed To Us By The Word. Psalm 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (KJV) The One Hundred Nineteenth Psalm Contains One Hundred Seventy Six Verses And In All But Two Of These Verses It Speaks Of The Necessity Of God’s Word In Our Life. In This Chapter The Psalmist Uses Several Different Words To Describe The Bible. He Calls It,
Colossians 3:16. (The Apostle Paul To The Church At Colosse) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. NOTHING IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK CAN TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THE WORD OF GOD. Jesus Tells Us That The Holy Spirit Will Lead Us And Guide Us In Understanding The Scripture. John 16:13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
It Does Not Say That The Spirit Will Thrust Us Immediately Into All Truth, But It Does Tell Us That The Spirit Will “GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH.” This, Of Course Is A Progressive Work, Rather Than An Instantaneous Work. If We Are Led By The Spirit Of God, The Truth Of The Word Will Be Opened To Us As A Lamp To Our Feet And A Light To Our Path. (Psalms 119:105) As We Walk In The Light That Is Shed Upon Our Path By The Word, The Blood By Which We Were Sanctified And Given A Perfect Standing In The Beginning Of Our Christian Life, Will Continue To Cleanse Us From All Sin. Psalm 119:9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (KJV) This Scripture Shows That Individuals Are Sanctified By The Word. When Jesus Prayed For His Disciples, He Said, “Sanctify Them Through Thy Truth, Thy Word Is Truth,” (John 17:17). Then Ephesians 5:25. Says That Christ “Loved The Church And Gave Himself For It That He Might Sanctify And Cleanse It by The Washing Of Water By The Word.” We See That Whether It Be An Individual, The Disciples, Or The Church, They Are All Alike Sanctified By Obedience To The Word. THIS IS NOT AN INSTANTAEOUS WORK OF GRACE, BUT A GROWING IN THE GRACE OF GOD (2 Peter 3:18).The Word Can Only Come To Us In A Progressive Way, “Precept Upon Precept, Line Upon Line, Here A Little And There A Little.” (Isaiah 28:13) 2 Timothy 3:16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Sanctification By The Word Can Only Be Accomplished When The Believer Does The Will Of God As It Is Revealed To Him By The Word. Some Will Put Their Own Revelations And Dreams Ahead Of The Word Of God, But Any Experience That Has Not Grown Out Of Definite Contact With The Word May Be Called Into Question. One May Spend Whole Nights In Prayer Without Profit If He Is Not Willing To Do The Will Of God As It Is Revealed To Him By The Word. THE DEPTHS OF ALL CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES MUST BE DETERMINED BY THE MEASURE OF ONE'S COMPLIANCE TO THE WORD. God’s Word Is Full Of Doctrine, And How Very Inconsistent It Is For Anyone To Claim Sanctification And Not Be Willing To Listen To The Preaching Of Doctrine, Let Alone Be Willing To Walk In It! If Truth Is The Means Of Our Sanctification, It Is Very Necessary That We As Saints Should Know What The Truth Really Is. Jesus Told The Sadducees That It Took Both The Power Of God And The Scriptures To Keep Them From Error. (Matthew 22:29) One May Live In The Dead Letter Of Formalism If He Takes The Stand That He Needs The Scriptures Only, And Refuses The Holy Spirit’s Operation In His Life. On The Other Hand, Some Who Have Been Filled With The Spirit Have Been Overcome With Fanaticism Because They Did Not See The Need Of Studying The Scripture And Seeking The Wisdom It Imparts. So I Hope We Can All See That Both The Holy Spirit And The Word Are Necessary For Our Sanctification. . P. CONCLUSIONAt The Conclusion Of This Study We Would Like To Emphasize That Man Is A Sinner, Having Inherited Adam’s Sinful Nature At Birth. And That Man Does Not Have It In His Power To Save Himself, But God Made Provisions For The Salvation Of Man Through The Shed Blood Of His Son Jesus Christ. The Blood Of Jesus Christ Is Applied To Our Hearts And Lives Through Repentance And Water Baptism In The Name Of Jesus Christ For The Remission Of Our Sins. Our Souls Are Clean, All Past Sins Are Forgiven, The Blood Of Jesus Christ Has Accomplished It’s Work Of Sanctification, And We Invite The Holy Spirit To Come Into Our Hearts And Establish Rule Over Our Human Nature. The Perfect Standing That The Believer Obtains Through The Blood Should Be The Strongest Kind Of An Appeal For Him To Live A Holy And Victorious Life. The Holy Spirit Continues The Work Of Sanctification By Prompting Us To Be Obedient To The Written Word Of God As It Is Revealed To Us By Studying And Meditation Thereof. Let Us Boldly Affirm That God Has Made Full And Free Provision For A Life Of Unbroken Victory Over Every Form Of Sin. This Is Not Only Plainly Taught In The Word, But It Has Been The Happy Experience Of Hundreds Of Thousands Of Useful Men And Women All Down Through The Christian Era. It Is Generally Admitted Fact That We Can Live This Kind Of A Victorious Life; But When It Comes To The Method Of Bringing It About, There Are Several Conflicting Views. We Want To Spend A Moment Discussing Some Of Those Views And Then Contrast Them Against God’s Word. IT IS NOT BY SELF-INFLICTED PUNISHMENT. There Are Religions That Teach That The Soul Can Be Purified By The Practice Of Self-Inflicted Punishment, Some By Long Fasts, Others By Extended Prayer, And Countless Others By Self Denial. YEMENITE JEWS In Jerusalem, Dark Skinned Men, Sitting Cross Legged On The Floor, Wrapped In The Prayer-Shawls Their Ancestors Wore In The Desert They Are There Today, Morning And Evening, Swaying Backwards And Forwards Like Camel Riders As They Recite Their Torah. Somewhere A MUSLIM Who Has Completed His Month Long Fast He Too Is Praying Today, Five Times, As He Prostrates Himself Towards Mecca, Along With Millions Of His Brethren. A SWAMI In His Tiny House By The Ganges At Foot Of The Himalayas Will Not Speak Today He Will Continue The Devotional Silence Which, With Exception Of Three Days Each Year, He Has Kept For Several Years. --- His God Has Never Spoken To Him. DEVOTED? THE PRIME MINISTER OF RANGOON Is Facing The Delegations, Crises And Cabinet Meetings Today. But From Four To Six This Morning, Before The Sun Arose, He Too Was Alone In The Privacy Of The Buddhist Shrine. ZEN MONKS IN KYOTO Were Ahead Of Him An Hour, They Were Up At Three This Morning, And Until Eleven Tonight Will Spend Most Of The Day Sitting Cross Legged And Immovable As They Seek With Intense Consecration The Buddha Nature. SINCERE? We Could Call Them GOD SEEKERS—Seeking To Hear From God Seeking To Understand God. Billions Upon Billions Of Sincere Men, And Women From All Nations And Intellect Who Believe That The Soul Can Be Purified By The Self-Inflicted Punishment. These, Along With Many Forms Of Christianity, Attempt To Bring The Sinful Nature Into Subjection By Denying Themselves Of Rest And Food, And By Wearing Clothing That Irritates Their Bodies, And By Doing Many Other Things To Inflict Punishment Upon Themselves. They Are To Be Admired For Their Earnestness, But Alas! When They Get Through With All These Forms Of Torture, They Are Just As Sinful As They Were At The First. Jesus Did Not Teach Sanctification By Denying Ourselves Of Our Natural Desires, But He Taught That It Could Be Obtained By Getting A New Heart And Mind That Would Delight To Do The Things That Please God. It Is True That We Are Taught Self Denial But Not The Kind That Deprives Us Of Some Lawful Thing, Or That Brings Suffering To Our Bodies, In Order To Bring About A Holiness In Us. Victory Over Sin Does Not Come That Way. VICTORY DOES NOT COME BY SUPPRESSION There Are Some Religions, Including Some Christians, Who Seek Deliverance From Self-Nature By Suppression. Their Church Sets Up For Them Some Standard Of Righteousness And They Propose By Their Will Power And Self Effort To Live Up To It. You Can Suppress The Sinful Nature At One Point And It Will Show Up At Another. If You Succeed In Getting A Man Reformed By His Own Efforts, He Is Likely To Become Filled With Pride And Self Confidence. These Are More Dangerous Than His Former Sins For He Is Harder To Reach With The Gospel Of Salvation. Many A Person Has Renounced Some Outstanding Sin Only To Become A Proud, Boasting Moralist. It Is Impossible To Get Victory Over Pride, Envy, Jealousy, An Unforgiving Spirit, Unholy Desires And A Bad Temper By The Method Of Suppression. VICORY DOES NOT COME BY ERADICATION There Are Not A Few Christian People Who Believe That Sanctification Can Only Be Obtained By The Eradication Of The Carnal, Sinful Nature. By That Method They Are Supposed To Be Delivered As Completely From The Old Man As When A Stump Is Pulled From The Ground Or A Weed From The Garden. If Such A Thing Were Possible, A Person Would Be Past Temptation, For We Are Only Tempted When We Are Drawn Away By Our Own Lusts And Enticed. (James 1:14) How Could A Person Be Drawn Away By His Own Lusts And Enticed If They Were All Eradicated And Taken Out Root And Branch? In Romans 6:12. Paul Says, “Let Not Sin Therefore Reign In Your Mortal Body, That Ye Should Obey It In The Lusts Thereof.” If It Were Not Possible For Sin To Reign Over Us, Why Did Paul Give This Warning? The Fact Is That Eradication Of The Self-Nature Is Not Only Unbiblical But It Is Also Unscientific. If You Separate The Adam Or Moral Nature From A Man, You Will Have A Funeral To Attend.
Romans 6:16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
We Now Serve A Master That Is Stronger Than Our Old Nature. (1 John 4:4) Hope Everyone Enjoys This Study, Thanks For Visiting This Web Site.
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