JUNE 25, 1999

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works

I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE IS MORE THAN JUST AN HISTORICAL BOOK AND ITS MORE THAN A LITERARY WORK THOUGH IT IS FILLED WITH BOTH ASPECTS OF LITERATURE. ALSO, ITS MORE THAN JUST A GOOD BOOK TO READ AND TO ENJOY, ALTHOUGH IT ACCOMPLISHES BOTH OF THOSE THINGS TOO. THE BIBLE WAS INTENDED TO BE A BLUE PRINT FOR LIVING OUR LIVES IN THE FULLEST WAY THAT GOD INTENDED. IT’S A BOOK FILLED WITH MANY MYSTERIES, MANY PROMISES AND MANY CONDITIONS AS WELL AS MANY COMMANDS. THE BIBLE DOES NOT ONLY RELATE TO US ON AN INTELLECTUAL BASIS BUT ALSO MUST RELATE TO US ON A SPIRITUAL BASIS FIRST AND FOREMOST. WHEN JESUS WAS BEING TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL IN THE WILDERNESS WITH TURNING A STONE INTO BREAD AFTER A 40 DAY FAST, HE MADE THIS STATEMENT QUOTING THE O.T.

Matt 4:3-4

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

HE WAS SAYING THAT THE BIBLE IS A BOOK BY WHICH WE LIVE BY AND A BOOK BY WHICH WE CAN KNOW THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF GOD. ITS INTERESTING THAT THE GK. AND HEB. WORD FOR PROCEED IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE WHICH MEANS THAT GOD STILL SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD TODAY. IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT’S JOB TO MAKE THE WRITINGS OF PAUL AS WELL AS THE WHOLE CANON OF SCRIPTURE APPLICABLE TO OUR LIVES ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. IN FACT THIS IS THE GREAT DIFFICULTY THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING THE BIBLE AS A BLUE PRINT FOR THEIR LIVES. TO UNDERSTAND IT YOU MUST BE IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH ITS AUTHOR. JESUS MADE THIS STATEMENT WHEN HE SPOKE TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN HIS DAY:

John 6:53-63

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,

dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it,

he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

IN ESSENCE WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING IS THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS COULD NOT UNDERSTAND AND APPLY WHAT HE WAS SAYING TO THEM BECAUSE HE WAS SPEAKING TO THEM ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL. HE SAID IN VERSE 63, THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE. HE WASN’T TALKING DIRECTLY ABOUT THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION NOR WAS HE TALKING ABOUT LITERALLY EATING HIS FLESH AND DRINKING HIS BLOOD. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT LIVING IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TO HIM AND ASSIMILATING WHAT HE TAUGHT INTO THEIR LIVES ON A PERSONAL BASIS.

NOW BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER I WANT TO GIVE TO YOU A BASIC RULE OF HERMENEUTICS FOR INTERPRETING THE SCRIPTURE AS IT APPLIES TO DOCTRINE OR TEACHING THAT APPLIES TO OUR LIVES AND I WILL DO SO BY QUOTING SOME SCRIPTURES FROM 1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS, TWO LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLE PAUL:

1 Cor 2:12-15 (TLB)

12 And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) to tell us about the wonderful free gifts of grace and blessing that God has given us.

13 In telling you about these gifts we have even used the very words given to us by the Holy Spirit, not words that we as men might choose. So we use the Holy Spirit's words to explain the Holy Spirit's facts.

14 But the man who isn't a Christian can't understand and can't accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit teaches us. They sound foolish to him because only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. Others just can't take it in.

15 But the spiritual man has insight into everything, and that bothers and baffles the man of the world, who can't understand him at all.

2 Cor 13:1

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

THESE TWO PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE BEGIN TO CONVEY TO US THIS MORNING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS BUT IT ALSO GIVES US A SET RULE FOR INTERPRETING THE SCRIPTURES. WE USE THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORDS OR THE BIBLE TO EXPLAIN OR INTERPRET ITS MEANING TO US OR AS IT APPEARS IN THE KJV WE COMPARE SPIRITUAL THINGS TO SPIRITUAL THINGS.

AT THIS POINT THERE MIGHT BE THOSE WHO WOULD POSE THE ARGUMENT OF CIRCULAR REASONING: YOU CHRISTIANS ALWAYS USE THE BIBLE TO EXPLAIN AND PROVE THE BIBLE. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS ARGUMENT IS THAT THE BIBLE IS NOT ONE BOOK BUT 66 BOOKS WRITTEN BY MANY DIFFERENT WRITERS OVER A PERIOD OF 2000 YEARS AND YET THEY ALL CONFIRM WHAT IS WRITTEN THEREIN.

NOW THE RULE OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION THAT IS APPLIED IS FOUND IN 2 COR. 13:1 AND THAT IS THAT A DOCTRINE OR TEACHING MUST PASS THE TEST OF A MINIMUM OF 2 OR 3 CORRELATING SCRIPTURES TO SUPPORT THAT TEACHING AND IF IT’S A MAJOR DOCTRINE IN THE BIBLE IT MUST BE CONFIRMED BY QUOTING TEXTS AS WELL AS CONTEXT. NOW HAVING EXPLAINED THAT TO YOU THIS MORNING I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW THE WRITINGS OF PAUL APPLY TO OUR LIVES TODAY.

FIRST OF ALL, IN THE PASSAGE WE JUST READ IN 1 Cor 2:12-15 PAUL STATED THAT THE NON-CHRISTIAN HAS DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES AND APPLYING THEM TO THEIR LIVES BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEM ON AN INTELLECTUAL BASIS ALONE AND NOT ON A SPIRITUAL BASIS. A CHRISTIAN IS ONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT OR ONE WHO HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING THEM SO THAT THE TEACHER RESIDES IN THEM AND COMMUNICATES ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL.

SO LET ME INTRODUCE TO YOU THIS MORNING A TEACHING ON THE TRICOTOMY OR THE TRI-PART NATURE OF MAN THAT WE DEDUCE FROM SOME OF PAUL’S WRITINGS. FIRST OF ALL LET ME QUOTE THESE SCRIPTURES:

1Thes 5:23

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless

unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

holoteles (hol-ot-el-ace');

from 3650 and 5056; complete to the end, i.e. absolutely perfect:

KJV-- wholly.

WE CAN CONCLUDE FROM THIS SCRIPTURE AND OTHERS, THAT I WILL GIVE YOU SHORTLY, THAT THERE ARE THREE ESSENTIAL PARTS TO OUR LIVES AND THEY ARE SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. I THINK WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT WE HAVE A BODY AND A SOUL AND THAT I DON’T NEED TO DELIBERATE ON THAT NOR SUBSTANTIATE THAT THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES, THOUGH I CAN, BUT I DON’T WANT TO WASTE THE TIME WHEN WE ALREADY AGREE ON THAT. MY FOCUS OF ATTENTION THIS MORNING IS THAT WE ARE NOT ESSENTIALLY A DICHOTOMY, A SOUL AND A BODY BUT A TRICOTOMY, A SPIRIT, A SOUL AND A BODY AND THERE IS A SIGNIFICANCE TO THAT. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME SCRIPTURES TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT WE ARE A SPIRIT AS WELL AS A SOUL AND A BODY:

Rom 1:9

9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Rom 7:6

6 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.

1 Pet 3:4

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God of great price.

2 Tim 4:22

22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Heb 4:12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of

the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2 Cor 7:13

13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more were we happy for the joy of Titus,

because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

1 Cor 2:12

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

AS I SAID FROM THE BEGINNING THAT YOU NEED AT LEAST 2 OR 3 SCRIPTURES TO SUPPORT A TRUTH AND THERE ARE MORE THAN JUST THE ONES I HAVE QUOTED TO MORE THAN SUFFICIENTLY PROVE THAT MAN IS IN FACT A TRICOTOMY, A SPIRIT, A SOUL AND A BODY. THIS IS IN FACT THE WAY GOD CREATED US.

Gen 2:7

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

2416 chay (khah'-ee);

from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively:

HERE IN GENESIS, WHICH MEANS THE BOOK OF BEGINNINGS, WE READ ABOUT THE CREATION OF MAN. GOD BREATHED INTO MAN THE BREATH OF LIFE. THE HEB. WD. FOR LIFE IS "CHAY" AND IN THE MASCULINE TENSE IT IS IN THE PLURAL FORM. SO THAT SUGGESTS TO US THAT GOD BREATHED INTO ADAM MORE THAN ONE KIND OF LIFE, THAT IN FACT HE BREATHED TWO KINDS OF LIFE INTO HIS FLESHLY BODY THAT HE MADE FROM THE DUST OF THE GROUND. NOW WHAT WERE THOSE TWO KINDS OF LIFE. FIRST OF ALL GOD BREATHED INTO HIM HIS OWN LIFE AND THAT IS SPIRIT AND THEN HE BREATHED INTO ADAM HIS OWN PERSONAL LIFE OR HIS PERSONALITY KNOWN TO US AS THE SOUL. SO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF WE CAN SEE HIS THREE ESSENTIAL PARTS. NOW A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN GENESIS WE READ ABOUT A PERIOD OF PROBATION WITH SUBSEQUENT CONSEQUENCES IN:

Gen 2:15-17

15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into

the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying,

Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

FOR THE SAKE OF TIME I’M NOT GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY ASPECT OF THIS PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF ADAM AND EVE EXCEPT THAT THOUGH THEY WERE PERFECT FROM A CREATION POINT OF VIEW THEY COULD NOT CLAIM INNOCENCE OR HOLINESS APART FROM A PERIOD OF PROBATION OR TESTING. WE ARE ALL ACUTELY AWARE THAT ADAM AND EVE FAILED THE TEST AND ATE OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. BUT WHAT IS INTERESTING IS WHAT GOD SAID WOULD HAPPEN TO THEM IF THEY ATE: HE SAID, "IN THE DAY YOU EAT THEREOF YOU SHALL SURELY DIE." IN THE VERY DAY THEY ATE OF THAT TREE THEY DID, IN FACT DIE BUT IT WASN’T A PHYSICAL DEATH IT WAS A SPIRITUAL DEATH THAT LATER RESULTED IN PHYSICAL DEATH. FROM THAT MOMENT ON ADAM AND EVE’S SPIRIT MAN WAS DEVOID OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND AS TIME PROGRESSED THEY RELIED MORE AND MORE UPON THE BODY AND THE SOUL TO CONDUCT THE AFFAIRS OF THEIR LIVES. THEIR SPIRIT WAS STILL THERE BUT IT WAS IN A STATE OF COMATOSE AND THEY WOULD PASS THAT ON TO THEIR PRODIGY SO THAT EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD THAT IS BORN AFTER THEM WOULD POSSESS A SPIRIT THAT WAS VOID OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND WHOSE FUNCTION WAS GREATLY IMPAIRED AND DISTORTED. NOW LET ME QUOTE FOR YOU A CORRELATING SCRIPTURE FROM THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL IN:

Rom 8:9-10

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.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

WHAT MAKES THIS VERSE CORRELATE TO THE ONE IN GENESIS IS THE FACT THAT THE WORD "LIFE" IN VERSE 10 IS IN THE PLURAL FORM JUST AS IT WAS IN GEN.2:7 AND REPRESENTS THE LIFE OF THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT. VERSE NINE SUGGESTS THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD MUST INDWELL MAN’S HUMAN SPIRIT BEFORE THESE TWO ASPECTS OF LIFE CAN BE RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL PLACE, PURPOSE AND FUNCTION. WHAT ADAM FORFEITED BY WAY OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE, JESUS CHRIST OFFERS TO EACH OF US AS A FREE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL LIFE, AND THAT IS THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD ENTERING INTO MAN’S HUMAN SPIRIT AND THUS CREATING A NEW DIMENSION OF LIFE.

NOW LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THE FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF EACH OF THESE THREE PARTS TO THE HUMAN ORGANISM AS PARTS OF THIS TRICOTOMY OF SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. THE SCRIPTURES TELL US IN PSA.139:14 THAT WE ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDER-FULLY MADE. MANY OF YOU ARE HERE AT PC TO PURSUE YOUR STUDY OF THE BODY AND I’M NOT ABOUT TO MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW IT WORKS. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PRIMARILY FIVES SENSE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BODY, SEEING, HEARING, TOUCHING, TASTING AND SMELLING. IT IS THROUGH THE USE OF THESE FIVES SENSES THAT WE DERIVE AN EARTHLY, WORLDLY OR PHYSICAL CONSCIOUSNESS. WITHIN THE SOUL OF MAN THERE ARE SEVERAL FACULTIES THAT SUPPORT LIFE AND THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS: HIS MIND, EMOTIONS, IMAGINATIONS, INTELLECT AND HIS WILL. WITH THE SOUL MAN ACQUIRES A SELF CONSCIOUSNESS, AN AWARENESS OF WHO HE IS AS A PERSON. AND THEN THE HUMAN SPIRIT ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE "HEART" IN THE SCRIPTURES HAS SEVERAL UNIQUE FUNCTIONS. IT IS THE PLACE OF COMMUNION OR MEETING GOD UTILIZING BOTH THE INTUITION AND THE CONSCIENCE. WITH MAN’S HEART OR HUMAN SPIRIT HE ACQUIRES A GOD CONSCIOUSNESS. THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US IN:

1 Cor 6:17

17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

THE INFERENCE IN THIS VERSE IS THAT GOD CANNOT AND DOES NOT JOIN HIMSELF TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN SPIRIT. SO MAN’S HUMAN SPIRIT IS OUR MEETING PLACE WITH GOD. HE COMMUNICATES HIMSELF TO US FROM SPIRIT TO SPIRIT WHEN HE ACCOMPLISHES A RE-ORGANIZATION OF THIS TRICOTOMY. LET ME EXPLAIN: AFTER THE SPIRIT OF GOD LEFT MAN’S SPIRIT HE BECAME SUBSERVIENT TO THE PASSIONS AND DESIRES OF HIS BODY AND SOUL. IN THIS RE-ORGANIZATION THE SPIRIT MAN IS PUT BACK IN CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE ORGANISM: (SHOW TRANSPARENCIES) THIS CAN ONLY BEGIN TO TAKE PLACE AFTER REGENERATION WHICH IS ANOTHER PAULINE TERM COINED IN HIS LETTER TO TITUS:

Titus 3:3-7

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy,

hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God

our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,

and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The clearest assertion of it and the explanation of the doctrine of regeneration is found in the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus <Jn 3>. It is based upon (1) the observation that man, even the most punctilious in the observance of the Law, is dead and therefore unable to "live up" to the demands of God. Only He who gave life at the beginning can give the (spiritual) life necessary to do God's will. (2) Man has fallen from his virginal and divinely-appointed sphere, the realm of the spirit, the Kingdom of God, living now the perishing earthly life. Only by having a new spiritual nature imparted to him, by being "born anew" (<Jn 3:3>, the Revised Version margin "from above," Greek anothen), by being "born of the Spirit" <3:6,8>, can he live the spiritual life which God requires of man. LET’S READ A PORTION OF THIS PASSAGE IN JN.3:1-9

John 3:1-9

1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these

miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it wills, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:

so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

SINCE SPIRITUAL DEATH PASSED UNTO ALL MANKIND THROUGH ADAM’S DISOBEDIENCE IT IS NECESSARY THAT EVERY MAN EXPERIENCE A COMING ALIVE OF HIS HUMAN SPIRIT. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS WAS REFERRING TO HERE IN JOHN AND WHAT PAUL WAS REFERRING TO IN TITUS. THE GK. WD. BORN AND REGENERATION HAVE THE SAME GK. ROOT WHICH IS GENAO FROM WHICH WE DERIVE THE ENGLISH WORD GENE. WHEN A PERSON INVITES THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST INTO THEIR HEARTS THERE IS A NEW BIRTH THAT TAKES PLACE AND MAN’S OTHERWISE COMATOSE SPIRIT COMES ALIVE AND ACTIVE AND PERSPECTIVE OF SPIRITUAL THINGS AND ESP. OF GOD AS FATHER.

LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO SPECULATE HERE: IF WE, AS HUMAN BEINGS COULD SEE MOLECULES TRAVEL AT A 2% FASTER RATE WE COULD ACTUALLY SEE SOUND SUGGESTING THAT SOUND THEREFORE HAS A MOLECULAR STRUCTURE EVEN THOUGH WE CANNOT SEE IT. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GOD IS LIGHT WHICH INFERS TO ME THAT THE GENETIC MAKEUP OF GOD’S MOLECULAR STRUCTURE TRAVELS AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT WHICH IS WHY WE CAN’T SEE GOD WITH OUR NATURAL EYES. SO I CONCLUDE FROM THIS MERE HUMAN SPECULATION THAT THERE IS MOLECULAR STRUCTURE TO GOD AND THEREFORE REP. A TANGIBLE SUBSTANCE. I SAY ALL THAT TO SUGGEST THAT WHEN A PERSON IS "BORN AGAIN" THAT HE ACTUALLY RECEIVES PART OF THE SUBSTANCE OF GOD IN SPIRIT FORM INTO HIS HUMAN SPIRIT AND ACCORDING TO THE APOSTLE PAUL, HE BECOME A NEW CREATION:

2 Cor 5:17-18

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

THE PHRASE, "NEW CREATURE" IS LIT. TRANSLATED NEW CREATION IN THE ORIGINAL GK. LANGUAGE. WHEN A PERSON RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST HIS SPIRIT MAN COMES ALIVE AND THIS RE-ORGANIZATION BEGINS TO TAKE PLACE. THIS CONCEPT OF MAN BECOMING A NEW CREATION IS BOTH INSTANTANEOUS AND PROGRESSIVE. AND IS A PROCESS WHICH THE APOSTLE PAUL CALLS SANCTIFICATION, WHICH MEANS TO BE MADE HOLY MORALLY CLEAN AND PURE.

THIS ENTRANCE INTO SPIRITUAL LIFE CANNOT BE POSSIBLE UNTIL THE BARRIER BETWEEN MAN AND GOD IS DEALT WITH. THE BIBLE DEFINES THAT BARRIER IN VARIOUS PLACES AS SIN. THERE WAS A SIN PROBLEM THAT SEPARATED GOD FROM MAN AND MAN FROM GOD. JESUS CHRIST CAME TO ENTIRELY REMOVE THIS SIN PROBLEM, VICARIOUSLY SO THAT MAN COULD BE JOINED TO GOD BY THE SPIRIT.

Heb 2:14-18

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death

were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels;

but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Heb 4:15

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1 Pet 2:21-24

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed.

2 Cor 5:21

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Heb 9:26-28

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared

to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US BOTH IN I. CORINTHIANS AND IN GALATIANS THAT THE DIVINE PENALTY FOR SIN IS DEATH JUST AS IN THE CASE OF ADAM IN GENESIS. IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY DEAL WITH THE SIN PROBLEM AND ITS SUBSEQUENT PUNISHMENT SOMEONE HAD TO PAY FOR THE SINS OF MANKIND. IT WAS FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT JESUS WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN SO THAT HE COULD REPRESENT ALL OF MANKIND JUST AS ADAM DID FROM CREATION. ROMANS CHAPTER 5 GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS TO US BUT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME LET ME MAKE A FEW QUICK COMMENTS: HEBREWS TELLS US THAT JESUS WAS TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS AS WE ARE YET HE DID NOT SIN. IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR OUR SIN GOD HAD TO GET A VOLUNTEER TO WHOM HE COULD PLACE ALL THE SINS OF MANKIND ON HIM IN A CREATIVE ACT BECAUSE THIS RERESENTATIVE HAD TO BE SINLESS. SO IN 2 COR. 5 WE READ THAT HE, GOD MADE HIM TO BE SIN WHO KNEW NO SIN THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. THE WORD MADE IN THE GK. LIT. MEANS TO CREATE. JESUS TOOK ALL OF THE SINS OF MANKIND AND TOOK THEIR PLACE AS A SUBSTITUTE AND PAID THE PENALTY FOR THEIR SINS AT CALVARY IN HIS DEATH AND SPENT THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN HELL TO CONSUMMATE THEIR ETERNAL REDEMPTION. AND SO PAUL TELLS US IN:

1 Tim 4:9-10

9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

THE CONCEPT THAT PAUL HAD OF CHRISTIANITY IS THAT IT WAS NOT MERELY RELIGION BUT RELATIONSHIP. SOMEONE HAS ONCE DEFINED RELIGION AS MAN’S ATTEMPT AND EFFORT TO REACH GOD BY PERFORMANCE OF GOOD WORKS IE. KEEPING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS. CHRISTIANITY CAN BE DEFINED AS GOD REACHING MANKIND THROUGH THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SOLE MEDIATOR. THEREFORE SINCE ACQUIRING RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS NOT BASED ON WORKS OR PERFORMANCE THEN WHAT IS IT TO BE BASED ON? THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT BY SIMPLE CHILD-LIKE FAITH IN THE WORK OF CHRIST AT CALVARY WE CAN RECEIVE THE POSITION OF BEING IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

Gal 3:21-26

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily

righteousness should have been by the law.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,

that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

HERE THE APOSTLE PAUL CONFIRMS TO US THAT RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS ATTAINED BY FAITH IN CHRIST. I THINK IT IS ALSO INTERESTING THAT HE CALLS THE MOSAIC LAW OUR TUTOR TO BRING US TO REALIZATION THAT WE NEED CHRIST. BOTH IN GALATIANS AND ROMANS PAUL TELLS US WHY THE LAW WAS INAUGURATED AFTER THE PROMISE AND THAT WAS TO DEFINE SIN AND TO MAKE MAN ACCOUNTABLE FOR SIN. THE EXISTENCE OF THE LAW WAS NOT TO GIVE US LIFE OR TO BRING US INTO RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BUT TO SHOW US HOW UTTERLY HELPLESS WE WERE TO KEEP IT AS A BASIS FOR FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION AND RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. SO BEING A CHRISTIAN IS NOT TRYING TO KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, ATTENDING CHURCH OR BEING A GOOD PERSON

ITS ABOUT BEING IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

NOW BEFORE I CLOSE AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU ONE OF THE MAJOR THEMES OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN STUDYING THIS SUMMER AND THAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION.

Rom 3:19-26

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped,

and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the

redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,

through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

THE WORD JUSTIFY IS A JUDICIAL TERM MEANING TO AQUIT, TO DECLARE RIGHTEOUS AND TO PRONOUNCE A SENTENCE OF ACCEPTANCE. THE ILLUSTRATION IS TAKEN FROM LEGAL RELATIONS. THE GUILTY ONE STANDS BEFORE GOD THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE; BUT INSTEAD OF A SENTENCE OF CONDEMNATION HE RECEIVE A SENTENCE OF ACQUITTAL. THE NOUN, JUSTIFICATION, WHICH PAUL USES HERE IN ROMANS MEANS A STATE OF ACCEPTANCE INTO WHICH ONE ENTERS BY FAITH THIS ACCEPTANCE IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD WHICH IS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST. REGARDLESS OF HIS SINFUL PAST AND HIS PRESENT IMPERFECTION, HE HAS A COMPLETE AND SECURE POSITION IN RELATION TO GOD. JUSTIFIED IS GOD’S VERDICT AND HE HAS THE ULTIMATE SAY IN THE MATTER. THIS DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION HAS BEEN DEFINED AS FOLLOWS: JUSTIFICATION IS AN ACT OF GOD’S FREE GRACE WHEREIN HE PARDONS ALL OUR SINS AND ACCEPTS US AS RIGHTEOUS IN HIS SIGHT, ONLY FOR THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IMPUTED TO US AND RECEIVED BY GRACE ALONE. JUSTIFICATION IS PRIMARILY A CHANGE OF POSITION ON THE PART OF THE SINNER. ONCE CONDEMNED HE IS NOW ACQUITTED, ONCE UNDER DIVINE CONDEMNATION HE IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF DIVINE COMMENDATION.

JUSTIFICATION IS, HOWEVER, MORE THAN PARDON OF SINS AND REMOVAL OF CONDEMNATION; IN THE ACT OF JUSTIFICATION GOD PLACES THE OFFENDER IN THE POSITION OF A RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY MAN. THE GOVERNOR OF A STATE CAN PARDON A CRIMINAL BUT HE CANNOT REINSTATE THE CRIMINAL IN THE POSITION OF ONE WHO HAS NOT BROKEN THE LAW. BUT GOD DOES BOTH IN JUSTIFICATION. HE BLOTS OUT HIS PAST WITH ITS SINS AND OFFENCES AND THEN TREAT THE PERSON AS IF HE HAD NEVER COMMITTED A SIN IN HIS LIFE! A PARDONED CRIMINAL IS NOT CONSIDERED OR DESCRIBED AS A GOOD OR RIGHTEOUS MAN; BUT WHEN GOD JUSTIFIES THE SINNER HE DECLARES HIM JUSTIFIED, THAT IS, RIGHTEOUS AND GOOD IN HIS SIGHT. SO IN THE PAUL’S DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION IN THE BOOK OF ROAMS AND GALATIANS JUSTIFICATION IS FIRST SUBTRACTION: THE CANCELLATION OF SINS; AND SECOND, ADDITION BY IMPUTING TO THE SINNER THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THROUGH JUSTIFICATION THE SINNER ENTERS INTO A POSITION OF RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. WHAT ENSUES IS A PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION IN THE RE-ORGANIZATION OF HIS ENTIRE ORGANISM SO THAT THE SPIRIT IS DIRECTING EVERY AREA OF LIFE AND MAN IS RESTORED TO GOD‘S ORIGINAL PURPOSE.