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A DOCTRINAL EXEGESIS A Compendium of Messianic Bible Studies By Norman Manzon PAGE 1 OF 6 MAJOR TOPICS IN SYSTEMATIC
PROGRESSION:
PLEASE NOTE:
The studies in this compendium are copied from Shofars 1 - 52.
Updates to this Compendium have been discontinued and not all Shofar
studies by the author are in the Compendium. For links to all
studies by the author, please go to the most up-to-date
Library page (of Shofar 53) and find the author's studies under
"NORMAN MANZON."
A Doctrinal Exegesis of the We Believe Statement of the Association of Messianic Congregations is a sequence of detailed Bible studies in support of the We Believe statement of The Association of Messianic Congregations. It was begun in 2005 and, at the date of this writing, December 12, 2015, is still a work in progress. The studies appear individually in the AMC's periodic webzine, The Shofar, one per Shofar, and have been compiled in this compendium in theological sequence running across several pages. Although written specifically with the Jewish believer in mind, it is broad based in scope, is foundational and healthy for the entire body of Messiah, and includes some areas of doctrine rarely discussed outside of messianic circles. Please note that this work and the individual studies in it are copyrighted. Although the author's motive in composing these studies is the propagation of the Word of God, it is urgently and humbly requested that all copyrights be respected. Thank you. ~ We will begin with the full We Believe statement, and then proceed to examine its component parts in a logical theological sequence and in detail. May God bless you as you seek to discern the Word of truth and take it to heart, for sound doctrine is the foundation of a godly and fruitful life, one lived in true ambassadorship for the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. In Yeshua's Name, THE ASSOCIATION OF
MESSIANIC CONGREGATIONS'
~
The first point of the AMC doctrinal statement reads:
I. WHAT BOOKS CONSTITUTE SCRIPTURE, AND WHY? "Canonicity" may be defined as the worthiness of a book to be included in the Scriptures. As claims of canonicity arose, church leaders tested each book in question by seeking evidence of inspiration, whether or not it bore the authority of a prophet or godly leader, whether it declared itself to be the Word of God, and other such tests. In this manner, by the end of the fourth century, the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven of the New were recognized as the extent and limit of Holy Scripture. II. ALL SCRIPTURE IS FULLY INSPIRED We are told in 2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is inspired by God. The Greek word translated 'inspired' is Theopneustos, which means "God-breathed," and emphasizes the exhalation of God. Inspiration, then, is really "outspiration". God "outbreathed" the Scriptures through human writers. Prophecy is the ability to receive revelation directly from God. Revelation is "a divine act by which God communicates to man those things... which otherwise man could never know."(1) God inspired some of His prophets to write down their revelations as Scripture. He also inspired some of His compilers of records and researchers to write down the results of their labors as Scripture (cf. Luke 1:1-4). The evidences for inspiration are overwhelming. (1) III. SCRIPTURE IS GOD'S COMPLETE AND FINAL REVELATION
These verses appear just three and four verses before the end of Revelation. The dire warnings that John issues against tampering with the book clearly indicates that it is the Word of God; but inasmuch as Revelation alludes to hundreds of Old Testament prophecies from Genesis to Malachi, and to the core teachings and prophecies of the New Testament from Matthew to Jude, it is clear that the entire Bible is the Word of God and that John's warnings against tampering refer to it, as well. John's warnings, therefore, seal up Scripture as the final revelation of God to man until the epochal revelation of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Himself upon His return. IV. THE 66 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ARE INERRANT 'Inerrancy' means "without error." Inerrancy may be attributed only to the original autographs of Scripture because it was only the original autographs that were inspired. The Bible contains no error on any matter despite the protests of some. In matters of history on which the Bible touches, archaeological and historical discoveries have put scoffers to shame hundreds of times. In scientific matters, the Bible has always proven to be accurate. For example, in the matter of origins, evidence for evolution is exceedingly feeble despite claims to the contrary, whereas evidence for biblical creation is overwhelming. (See Section II E of Evidence Upon Evidence: The Bible Is the Word of God. [1]) V. THE SCRIPTURES ARE TRUE AND AUTHORITATIVE IN EVERY This derives from the fact that the Scriptures are God-breathed, that God is true ( John 3:33; 2 Cor. 1:18) and that it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18). For evidences for biblical infallibility in matters of science: go to The Creation Research Institute at www.icr.org. For matters of history: go to www.christianbook.com and type in the keyword "archaeology." ~ For a much fuller treatment of the Scriptures as the Word of God, please see Evidence Upon Evidence: The Bible Is the Word of God. (1) 1. For a much fuller treatment of the Scriptures as the Word of God, please see the author's study,
Evidence Upon Evidence: The Bible Is the Word of God. The Scriptures ~ ~ GOD THE TRIUNITY ~
The tri-unity of God, especially in the aspect of the deity of the Messiah, is a stumbling block for many Jewish seekers. This is an honest concern, and will be addressed below; but to lay a foundation, the basic nature of godhood must be established. We will do that by addressing those attributes of God that are declared in the statement. God is infinite. What is meant by infinity is that God is not excluded, bounded in or limited in any way as to the existence of His presence by any material thing, form of energy, soul, spirit, thought, emotion, place, or any other thing or phenomenon in the supernatural or natural realm. 1Kings 8:27: But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this house which I have built? God is perfect. There are various words in the Old and New Covenants that are translated perfect, and they generally have the meaning of being complete and without lack or defect. (What is meant by 'perfect' when applied to believers is maturity.) Matthew 5:48: Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. He is eternally existing. By eternity is meant the quality of existing endlessly in regards to time without interruption or limitation in the past, present and future. Psalm 90:2: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting You are God. Deuteronomy 33:27: The eternal God is thy dwelling-place, And underneath are the everlasting arms. God eternally exists in three equal persons. God is not a mere force though He exercises force; nor is He a pantheistic totality and unity of all that exists: He is, indeed, distinct from His creation and is a true Person: a triune Person - not a person of flesh and spirit as you and I, but a Spirit Person (John 4:24). Intellect is the ability to think, reason and plan. Isaiah 1:18: Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD. Emotion is the ability to feel affectively with one's spirit. Exodus 4:14: And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses. Ephesians 4:30: And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Genesis 1:31: And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
Will is the ability to choose a course of action. Genesis 1:3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. God is omnipresent. Whereas infinity addresses the location of God's presence in terms of limitations, omnipresence addresses the location of God's presence in terms of extent. "God is everywhere present with His whole being at all times" (Dr. Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology [Chicago: Moody Press, 1981], p. 41). Psalm 139:7-10:
He is omnipotent. By omnipotence is meant that God is infinitely powerful and able to do all things within the confines of His nature.
Act 5:30: The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed and hanged on a tree. Although God is powerful enough to create out of nothing and to resurrect, He is impotent in regards to anything contrary to His nature. For example, He cannot cease to be God (Deuteronomy 33:27); He cannot deny Himself (go back on His word) (2 Timothy 2:13); He is impervious to sinful temptations (James 1:13); He cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). God is omniscient. Omniscience means having and being fully aware of all knowledge of all things actual and possible from the infinitesimal to the infinite in every realm at all times. Acts 15:18: All His works are known to God from eternity. Psalm 139:16: Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them. Hebrews 4:13: Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. God is the creator of all things. "Creator" is not one of God's attributes, but one of His titles. His creation of all things is an activity made possible by His attributes. God is not identical with the creation, but is distinct from it. There is the Creator and the created. God is the Creator. God existed before all else, and then He created all else.
By no means should this list be considered exhaustive: Many, O LORD, my God are the wonders which you have done, and your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count. (Psalm 40:5) The Attributes of God ~
~ GOD THE TRIUNITY ~
2. GOD THE FATHER
In this study, we will examine what the Scriptures say concerning God the Father. We'll begin by reading the relevant section of the AMC Statement.
1. The Father is God. Galatians 1:3: Grace to you, and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 2. The Father is a Person. He possesses intellect, emotions, and will, as can be seen in John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. a. The Father Possesses Intellect. It is plainly evident that any being who could devise a plan for the simultaneous satisfaction of justice and redemption of mankind has an intellect. 2 Corinthians 5:21:
He [God]
made Him [Yeshua]
who knew no sin to be sin
on our behalf, so that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him. John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. c. The Father Possesses a Will Other Points about God the Father "We Believe He is Father over all creation" 1 Corinthians 8:6: ... there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything came into being and for whom we live. "And thus its sovereign ruler" Job 9:5-7: [He] removes the mountains, shakes the earth out of its place. Speak[s] to the sun, and it does not rise; and seals up the stars. Exodus 4:22: Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born: "Whom He has chosen as His unique people" Deuteronomy 7:6: Jehovah your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth. "Father of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)" Matthew 3:17: And lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. "Whom He sent into the world to redeem mankind" John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Romans 8:21: That the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. "And Father of all who trust in His gracious provision." John 1:12: But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name. God the Father ~
~ GOD THE TRIUNITY ~
The AMC's doctrinal statement on God the Son reads as follows:
Let's look to the Scriptures to substantiate each claim contained therein. As much as possible, we'll draw our proofs from the Tanach, the Hebrew Scriptures: Does the Tanach declare a God the Son? Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Would the great prophet Isaiah dare declare that a humanly born son would be called Mighty God and Everlasting Father (or Father of eternity) were it not so? Obviously not. It is clear, then, that Scripture declares a human God the Son. It is also clear from the son's titles and that the government shall be upon his shoulder, that this God the Son is also Messiah. Became implies that God the Son pre-existed His human birth. Does Scripture support this?
This passage is also clearly Messianic and is called by the Son a decree. The decree contains the declaration by the LORD,
You are My
Son. By this declaration, God the Father addresses the Messianic God the Son of Isaiah 9:6 as My son. So we see that the Messianic God the Son is also the Messianic Son of God. This decree of God is from eternity past, and it is from eternity past that God the Father conversed with God the Son. It is plain, then, that the Messianic God the Son pre-existed His human birth. "We believe that God the Son became flesh" . . . in the person of Yeshua of Nazareth, the promised Messiah of Israel, who was conceived of the Spirit of God and born of the Jewish virgin, Miriam (Mary)." The four main claims in this section that are as yet unaddressed are that the Son became flesh . . .
I'll begin with the second claim in order to lay a foundation for the others. "The Promised Messiah of Israel" This most amazing and detailed prophecy of Isaiah was written 700 years before the birth of Yeshua: Isaiah 53:1-11.
Let's look at it once again, but with a little exegesis: Isaiah 53:1-11: 1. Who has believed our report? Truly, until this day, many Jews do not believe this report - but not for biblical reasons. 2. For He [Messiah] comes up before Him [God His Father] as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground - that is, as a little shoot proceeding from a tree stump. Yeshua was of David's royal line; but He was from a poor family in a nation oppressed by the Roman Empire; He has no form nor majesty that we should see Him, nor an appearance that we should desire Him. 3. He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as it were a hiding of faces from Him, He being despised, and we esteemed Him not - His own Jewish people, incited by their leaders, rejected Him to the uttermost. 4. Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. The New Testament declares Yeshua's scourging and bruising: And when (Pilate) had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified (Matthew 27:26). It also clearly declares a substitutionary suffering and death for sin, as does this Isaiah passage. 2 Corinthians 5:21: For he (God) hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. When the Roman Governor, Pilate, interrogated Yeshua, he said to Him, Do you not hear how many things they witness against you? And He did not answer him a word, so that the governor greatly marveled (Matthew 27:13-14). 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation [or, who could tell His fate]? For He was cut off out of the land of the living [killed]: for the transgression of My people He was stricken. 9. And He put His grave with the wicked - Hebrew scholars Keil and Delitzsch say that this phrase would be better translated, And they assigned Him His grave with sinners - and with a rich one in His death. Matthew 15:43-46 declares that a wealthy disciple of Yeshua, Joseph of Arimathea, buried Yeshua in his own tomb - although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. (2 Corinthians 5:21: "He . . . knew no sin.") 10 a. Yet it pleased the LORD to crush Him; to grieve Him; that He should put forth His soul as a guilt-offering. This is the fulfillment of Leviticus 17:11: For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. 10 b. He [Messiah] shall see His seed [His spiritual descendants], He shall prolong His days [live a prolonged life], and the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11. He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify for many. - How can Messiah be killed and buried, and then see His future disciples, live a prolonged life, and prosper the LORD's work? There's only one possible answer: Resurrection. - and He shall bear their iniquities. Now, to address the first, third and fourth claims: "We Believe that God the Son Became Flesh"
I'll present a series of scriptures that together substantiate these claims: Luke 1:30-35.
Verse 31 affirms that God the Son was born in the person of Yeshua; verse 35, that
He was conceived of the Spirit of God; and verses 30-31, that
He would be born of... Miriam (Mary). That Mary was Jewish is brought out in verse 32 by the phrase by His father David. Verses 32 and 33 also make it plain that this Son was Messiah. According to the passage, the birth of the son would be a sign, a telltale miracle, that miracle being, the virgin will conceive and shall bring forth a son. In addition, Immanuel, meaning God with Us, is expressive of His dual divine and human nature. Matthew 2:23. And he came and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene". The verse speaks of Miriam's husband, Joseph, bringing Yeshua to Nazareth. He shall be called a Nazarene will not be found in the Tanach, but it summarizes an aspect of Yeshua's life that was prophesied in the Tanach that was, indeed, fulfilled in His life. (This method of summarizing portions of the Tanach, called "summation," is found elsewhere in the New Testament, as well.) In Yeshua's day, residents of Nazareth were looked down upon by other Jews, and so it was with Yeshua. He was looked down upon because He was of Nazareth but, more significantly, He was rejected by His own people who also delivered Him to pagans to be crucified. As Isaiah declared, He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as it were a hiding of faces from Him, He being despised, and we esteemed Him not (53:3). Indeed, Yeshua was a two-fold Nazarene: firstly, because . He was raised in Nazareth, and secondly, because He was despised and rejected of men because of His Messianic claims. "We Believe in His Full Deity and Full Humanity" That Messiah would be simultaneously divine and human was intimated in Isaiah 7:14, which prophesied His virgin birth, and was made as plain as day in Luke 1:31, in which the angel tells Miriam, You shall conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Yeshua. And in verse 34:
The human virgin-born Yeshua was called that Holy One and Son of God. The sinlessness of the prophesied Messiah's life is implicit in the Tanach. As we have seen, Isaiah 7:14 speaks of the future virgin bearing a Son named
Immanuel, God with Us; and Isaiah 9:6 declares that the Son will be given names that declare His deity:
Mighty God and
Everlasting Father (or
Father of Eternity). It is the flesh and blood baby of Miriam that is called that Holy One, meaning absolutely sinless in His very nature. Yeshua was not born with a sin nature, but with an absolutely holy nature, and this was accomplished by the overshadowing of God the Holy Spirit upon Miriam. And as to the actual outworking of this holy overshadowing in His life, Yeshua said to the scribes and Pharisees who had been dogging Him all of His ministry, Which of you convicts Me of sin? -(John 8:46) John 3:1: And there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 He came to Yeshua by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles which you do unless God is with him." That Yeshua did miracles was a fulfillment of Messianic prophecies in the Tanach: Isaiah 35:4:
"We Believe that Messiah Yeshua Arose From the Dead Bodily" 1 Corinthians 15:3: ...Messiah died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.... Among the scriptures referred to here is the prophecy of Psalm 16:10: For You will not leave My soul in hell; You will not allow Your Holy One to see bodily decay. The Psalmist David would never refer to himself as Your Holy One, and his body has certainly undergone decay by now, three thousand years after his burial. Therefore, David could certainly not be prophesying of himself, but of the Son of David, the Messiah. He said, in essence, "The body of the Messiah, Your Holy One, would not suffer bodily decay because God would not leave My soul in hell (Sheol, the temporary abode of the dead)." In other words, "God will resurrect Me." Act 1:9: And saying these things, as they watched, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him out of their sight. Romans 8:34: It is Messiah that died, but rather also was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. That Messiah is at the right hand of God is a fulfillment of prophecy. Psalm 110:1: ...the LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand until I place Your enemies as Your footstool." David the Psalmist declared that the LORD, God the Father, said to David's Lord, Sit at My right hand until I place Your enemies as Your footstool. Who might David's Lord be? God prophetically bids this Lord of David to ascend to His right hand of power, and also promises to place all His enemies under His feet. Who else could God be speaking to other than Messiah? That Messiah would return to earth after His ascension is not foreign to the Tanach, either. Hosea 5:15: I will go; I will return to My place until they confess their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will seek Me diligently. It is obvious from the context that a divine Person is speaking as it is to Him that confession of guilt will be made, and it is His face whom they, Israel, will seek. This divine Person will return to His place, that is, Heaven, and then come again. Revelation 19:11-16 tells us that He will come again... Rev 19:11-16.
That the personage in this passage is Messiah Yeshua is evident from verse 13, in which He is called The Word of God. Let's look at John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth. The Word of verse 1 became flesh, and dwelt among us. In other words, The Word, who had a divine pre-existence, was born a human. We've already seen Who that was: The Messianic Word of God of John 1 and Revelation 19:13: Yeshua. "Establishing His Literal Millennial Kingdom on Earth." Revelation 21:4: And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away. 5 And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. These blessings were prophesied in the Tanach. Isaiah 61:1-3.
That the kingdom will last a millennium, a thousand years, is brought out in Revelation 20:4: And they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years. Amen! Come, Lord Yeshua!
(Revelation 22:20) God the Son ~
~ GOD THE TRIUNITY
~ The statement on the Tri-unity concludes:
It is important to be able to defend the facts of the personality and deity of the Spirit as the following statement reveals: "The Sacred Name Movement also denies the existence of the Spirit as a person of the Godhead, but describes him only as an impersonal manifestation of the power of God." (The Sacred Name Movement, Pete Koziar, Shofar 2) "We believe the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) is a Person."
1. The Holy Spirit is a Person c. The Holy Spirit Possesses a Will. Luke 2:26: And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. To actively reveal something is an act of the will. "He possesses all the distinct attributes of deity and personality." 2. The Holy Spirit is God. Acts 13:12: As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them. 3. Other Points About the Holy Spirit
John 16:13-14: However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will receive of Mine and will announce it to you.
John 16:8: And when that One comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. John 3:6-7: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. Ephesians 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption. "and sets the believer apart to a holy life." Galatians 5:16: I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of flesh. 1 Corinthians 12:13: For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit. "and at the same moment is permanently indwelt by the Spirit." John 14:16-17: And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you. 1 Corinthians 12:7-8: And to each hath been given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit; for to one through the Spirit hath been given a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit. We've studied Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One more of our claims needs to be addressed; that of the equality of the three: "[God] is infinite and perfect, eternally existing in three equal persons." In what sense are they equal? They are all equally endowed with all of the attributes of Personhood and Deity. Matthew 28:19: Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit....
~
~ GOD THE TRIUNITY
~ The second point of the AMC's doctrinal statement declares belief in a Tri-unity or Trinity, a triune God, which seems to fly in the face of the Sh'ma, the universal credo of Judaism, in which God declares Himself to be one. Let us therefore take a careful look at Scripture. D'varim 6:4. Sh'ma Yisrael, YHVH eloheinu YHVH echad. Deuteronomy 6:4. Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. In previous studies, we examined how there were three in Scripture who each possess the attributes of divinity and personhood and whom Scripture identifies as God the Father, Yeshua the Son, and Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit. The heavy lifting in demonstrating the Tri-unity of God has thus been accomplished; yet there are matters that still need to be considered, not the least of which is the Sh'ma itself, which actually holds the key to understanding the Tri-unity of God. THE AMC STATEMENT ON THE TRI-UNITY
I. THREE DISTINCT DIVINE PERSONS That there are three divine Persons has already been established, but that they are clearly distinct from one another can be see in Isaiah 48:12-16:
Verse 12 identifies the Me of verse 16 as the first and the last, a title of divinity declaring the attribute of eternity (from eternity past to eternity future), a title applied to Messiah Yeshua in Revelation 1:4-8. With this in mind, let's take a closer looks at verse 16: ...and now the Lord Jehovah (God the Father), and His Spirit (the Holy Spirit), has sent Me (Messiah Yeshua). Three distinct divine Persons in one scripture. Also in Luke 3:22: And the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily shape, like a dove on Him. And a voice came from Heaven, which said, "You are My Son, the Beloved; I am delighted in You." One Person: The Holy Spirit. Another Person: Him, My Son. And yet another: the Speaker from Heaven, the Father. Three distinct divine Persons. There are only three in all of Scripture who possess any of the attributes unique to divinity, such as, eternity, omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence.
III. If there are three distinct divine Persons, Let's take a look at how echad is used elsewhere in the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures) and then determine how it is used in the Sh'ma. A. How is Echad Used Elsewhere in the Tanach? There are a great many places in which echad indicates an absolute oneness. Genesis 10:25 is an example: And two sons were born to Eber. The name of ha'echad, the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. And his brother's name was Joktan. However, echad is elsewhere used to indicate a compound unit. A strikingly clear example is Genesis 2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be 'basar echad', one flesh. 1 Corinthians 6:16, which refers back to Genesis 2:24, clarifies the concept of basar echad: Or do you not know that he being joined to a harlot is one body? For He says, "The two shall be one flesh." It is clear from this passage that sexual union between a man and a woman, even apart from marriage or the bearing of a child, renders them basar echad in God's eyes. (For He says, "The two shall be one flesh." Also Matthew 19:4, immediately below.) The harlot and her lover become echad, a compound unit, by virtue of engaging in sexual union; because sexual union, the most intimate of physical relationships, is viewed by God as the very seal of marriage, which people must not "separate" (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9).
This unity in marriage, intended by God to last in practice, is expressed wonderfully in the traditional marriage vow, "as long as ye both shall live," which pictures the eternal marriage that Messiah enters into with all who are His by faith (Revelation 21:9). The essential thing to note is that within the compound unit of a man and a woman in marriage, each never ceases to retain his or her individual body and soul. Husband and wife are echad even though their individual physical and spiritual makeups are wholly retained. Echad, then, can clearly be used to denote a compound unit of a plurality of individuals who simultaneously retain their individuality. The question, now, is this: B. How, then, is Echad Used in the Sh'ma? More specifically, does echad in the Sh'ma declare YHVH to be an absolute unit or a compound unit? Here again is the Sh'ma: D'varim 6:4. Sh'ma Yisrael, YHVH eloheinu YHVH echad. Deuteronomy 6:4. Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.
We'll consider four lines of reasoning:
2. There are two examples in the Tanach in which YHVH refers to not just one person, but two.
Both the sender and the one sent are called Jehovah - two in number, not one. Yachid could not be used to describe the compound oneness of the two Persons named Jehovah, but echad could. 3. There are three divine Persons in the Tri-unity. Our previous studies have demonstrated this beyond the threshold of proof. Three Persons, one name. Yeshua commissioned His disciples to baptize with a view to the unity of the three divine Persons. In view of these things, it would have been misleading to describe YHVH in the Sh'ma as yachid as it is clear, even in the Tanach, that there are a plurality of Persons in the Godhead. There remains only one reasonable conclusion: Echad in the Sh'ma ascribes compound unity to YHVH; and since there are three divine Persons who constitute that compound unit, we call them a Tri-unity. IV. WHY "TRI-UNITY" AND NOT "TRINITY"? Trinity is the most commonly accepted English term for conveying the unity of the three Persons of the Godhead. However, some have observed that the sound of the word openly conveys threeness in the prefix Tri, but does not openly convey oneness. The fact is, the etymology of the word reveals a total absence of the concept of unity! Webster presents the etymology of Trinity thusly: "from Late Latin trinitat-, trinitas state of being threefold, from Latin trinus threefold." On the other hand, both the sound and the etymology of Tri-unity clearly convey the threeness and the oneness of the Godhead, and in perfect balance. Hence, the AMC uses the term Tri-unity. V. ONE ESSENCE: THE FOUNDATION OF COMPOUND UNITY The compound unity of the three divine Persons consists in their being of one essence. As to the meaning of essence, Dr. Ryrie says, "The word substance might be too materialistic; some would prefer to use the word essence." (Ryrie, Dr. Charles Caldwell. Basic Theology. Wheaton: Victor books, 1986. P. 53) To further clarify, I offer a statement by Dr. Chafer: No doubt, there is a distinct consciousness which identifies each Person, yet there is a united possession of attributes and of nature. (Emphasis mine.) (Chafer, Dr. Louis Sperry. Systematic Theology, Volume 1. P. 273.) A. FATHER AND SON: ONE ESSENCE In John 10:30, Yeshua said, I and the Father are one. In reference to this, Dr. Fruchtenbaum says, "This verse teaches that the Father and the Son are one in essence, the essence of divinity itself." (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold G. Radio Manuscript #63: The Deity of the Messiah. San Antonio: Ariel Ministries Press. P. 12).
Some commentaries on I am in the Father and the Father in Me: · "... expressive of the sameness of nature" (John Gill's Exposition of the Bible).· "... denotes most intimate union" (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible). · "We are essentially one;...." (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible). Father and Son are of one essence. That is why Yeshua was so reflective of the Father and was able to say, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). B. SON AND HOLY SPIRIT: ONE ESSENCE
When Israel turns to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Verse 14 identifies the Lord as Christ. Verse 17 declares the Lord is that Spirit... the Spirit of the Lord.... In view of this, Dr. Charles Ryrie declares verse 17 to be "a strong statement that Christ and the Holy Spirit are one in essence" (Ryrie, Dr. Charles Caldwell. The Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody, 1978.) C. HOLY SPIRIT AND FATHER: ONE ESSENCE Romans 8:27: And He [the Father] Who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because He [the Spirit] makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God [the Father]. Father and Spirit are so "one" that the Spirit always prays according to the will of God, never wavering in the slightest. The Spirit would be unable to do this unless the two were perfectly of one mind. They are of one essence. D. THE SON: ONE ESSENCE WITHTHE Colossians 2:9 says of Yeshua, For in Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the two are of one essence. The fullness of the Godhead also dwells in Yeshua. As fullness means totality, He must necessarily be of one essence with the Father and the Spirit. E. FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT: ONE ESSENCE Father and Son are one in essence, Son and Holy Spirit are one in essence, Holy Spirit and Father are one in essence, and Yeshua is one in essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Clearly, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in essence. VI. SINCE THE THREE PERSONS ARE ONE IN ESSENCE, Dr. Geisler and Ronald Brooks declare, "The doctrine of the Trinity, if understood as saying that God is three persons yet only one person, would be self-contradictory." (Geisler, Dr. Norman L. and Brooks, Ronald Come, Let Us Reason. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House. Pp. 19-20.) They are not one Person though they are one in essence. They are three distinct Persons that are one in essence. VII. are THE three divine PERSONS We've seen that the Godhead consists of three distinct Persons, but we've also seen that they are one in essence. The answer, then, is: No. Because they are of one essence the three divine Persons are not three separate or distinct Gods, but are one God. They are, in their fundamental essence, inseparable. Dr. Chafer says:
They are three divine Persons, but inasmuch as they are one in divine essence, we cannot say that they are three Gods. They are three in Person, but because they are one in essence, they are one God. VIII. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE UNIFYING Let's approach this by seeking to identify the "essence" of each of the members of the Tri-unity. A. THE ESSENCE OF GOD THE FATHER Yeshua said, God is a Spirit (John 4:24). The essence of God the Father is divine Spirit. B. THE ESSENCE OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT As in English, in the Hebrew, Spirit is the noun and Holy is the modifying adjective. The essence of the Holy Spirit is obviously divine Spirit. No scripture states directly that the Son is divine Spirit, but at least two passages clarify the issue: One is 2 Corinthians 3:14-17, which contains the statement, The Lord is that Spirit. As has been shown, Dr. Ryrie says that this is "a strong statement that Christ and the Holy Spirit are one in essence" (Ryrie Study Bible). If the essence of the Holy Spirit is divine Spirit, then the essence of the Son is divine Spirit. The other is Colossians 2:9: For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. If the Father is Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is Spirit, and all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in the Son, then the Son is Spirit, also. The essence of the Son is divine Spirit. D. THE NATURE OF THE ESSENCE We've shown that the three Persons of the Tri-unity are of one essence, and that the essence of each member of the Tri-unity is divine Spirit. The nature of the unifying essence of the Tri-unity, then, is divine Spirit. We are now ready for some... IX. DEFINITIONS OF THE TRI-UNITY Geisler and Brooks continue: "However, the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity says that there are three persons in one being." (Geisler and Brooks, 19-20.) Dr. Chafer writes, "In the case of Deity, there are but three consciousnesses and but one nature..." (Chafer, 275). "The Trinity is composed of three united Persons without separate existence - so completely united as to form One God." (Chafer, 276) Dr. Ryrie states (Basic Theology, 385), "De Trinitate. The concept of the Trinity in the Western church reached a final formulation in this work by Augustine [354-430].... In this treatise he stated that each of the three Persons of the Trinity possess the entire essence and that all are interdependent on the others." Consistent with this, Dr. Ryrie declares (Basic Theology, 53), "One of the best [definitions] is Warfield's: 'There is one only and true God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three coeternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.'" (B. B. Warfield, "Trinity," The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, ed. [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1930], 5:3012). Dr. Fruchtenbaum suggests, "Perhaps the best and simplest definition of the Trinity is that there is only one God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three eternal and co-equal Persons; the same in substance or essence, but distinct in subsistence or existence" (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold G. Radio Manuscript #50: The Trinity. San Antonio: Ariel Ministries Press. P. 4). · Three consciousnesses and but one nature....· Three persons in one being.... · Three united Persons without separate existence.... · Three Persons of the Trinity possess the entire essence and... all are interdependent on the others.... · Three coeternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.... · The same in substance or essence, but distinct in subsistence or existence. X. SUGGESTED DEFINITION OF TRI-UNITY Inasmuch as the nature of the essence of the Tri-unity is divine Spirit, I suggest this definition:
XI. DOES ONE DIVINE PERSON EVER "The Father came in the form of Jesus." Have you heard statements like these? Well, they are simply not true. You will never find a scripture that says that one of the divine Persons comes in the form of another. They mutually consist of the same essence, but they are always and forever distinct Persons. They do not swap or transfer or transform their identities. Never. Perhaps the closest statement in Scripture that suggests that they may is Luke 3:22a: And the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily shape, like a dove on Him. The Holy Spirit assumed the shape of a dove, but He never ceased being the Holy Spirit. In fact, the full passage demonstrates the three Persons working in harmony with one another with each retaining His individual identity: 22. And the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily shape, like a dove on Him. And a voice came from Heaven, which said, You are My Son, the Beloved; I am delighted in You. The Spirit descended upon Yeshua, and God the Father declared His delight in His Son. Three Persons working together beautifully to launch Yeshua into public ministry, each retaining His own individual identity. One Person never takes the form of another.
XII. THE INCARNATE SON:THE HYPOSTATIC UNION - Upon His incarnation, the Son added to His divine essence and personhood a fully human spirit and a fully human body; yet, He did not for an instant cease being fully divine (Colossians 2:9). Therefore, even when Yeshua walked the earth in a localized body, He was still one in Tri-unity with Father and Holy Spirit. He never ceased being fully eternal, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Yeshua now resides in the heavenlies, eternally part of the Tri-unity, still with a human spirit (Luke 23:46), and now with a glorified body. Although the Tri-unity is omnipresent, Yeshua's body is not. This can be seen by the fact that He ascended into heaven in a localized body (Acts 1:9), that He will meet the saints at the rapture in a localized body in a localized place ("the air," 1 Thessalonians 4:17), and that He will return to earth on a localized "horse" followed by the saints whose spirits had received their localized bodies at the resurrection/ rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Revelation 19:11, 15, 21). In addition, Scripture never says that the glorified bodies of the saints, which will dwell in heaven for seven years after the rapture, will be anything other than localized. This is powerful evidence that glorified bodies can dwell in Heaven in localized form. As to Yeshua's human spirit, Scripture never ascribed omnipresence to a human spirit, not even to His. It therefore remains for us to conclude that His human spirit is localized with His body just as our spirits are localized with ours and will be in Heaven. Our human spirits are not omnipresent, and neither is His. How are we to fathom the fact that the divine Spirit of Yeshua shares omnipresence with the Father and the Holy Spirit while His human spirit and body, though He be ascended, do not? Friends, I think we've hit the limits of revelation here, and we'd better not try to venture further. Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong to Jehovah our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our sons forever.
XIII. HOW IS THE UNITY OF THE
TRI-UNITY Many of the scriptures contained in this study are more than sufficient to declare at least the following:
XIV. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIPS A. YESHUA IS SERVANT TO THE FATHER John 6:38: For I came down from Heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. B. THE SPIRIT IS SERVANT TO THE FATHER John 14:26: But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. C. THE SPIRIT IS SERVANT TO YESHUA
D. THE FATHER SEEKS TO BLESS THE SON Matthew 3:17: And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Psalm 2:7. I will declare the decree of Jehovah. He has said to Me, You are My Son; today I have begotten You. 8. Ask of Me, and I shall give the nations for Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth for Your possession.
XV. in What Spirit OF HEART Do They Serve In a flawless, effulgent, blissful Spirit of love. John 4:7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. 8. The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love. Amen. God the Trinity ~ The third point in the AMC's doctrinal statement declares belief concerning Satan and demons, and the fourth, on the holy angels. Inasmuch as the Bible informs us that all angels were once holy, including those we now refer to as Satan and demons, we'll continue our series with a study of the holy angels, and address the doctrine of Satan and demons in our next study.
This study will demonstrate biblical support for the existence of angels, describe their nature, support the claims in the statement, and lay the foundation for our next study, "Satan and Demons." "Angels are mentioned in Scripture 273 times, in 33 of the 66 books" (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold G. Radio Manuscript # 73: Angelology: The Doctrine of the Elect Angels. P. 5. San Antonio: Ariel Ministries Press). I might add that they are mentioned in every type of Bible book. They are mentioned in:
The New Testament, in:
It is obvious that the writers of Scripture take the existence of angels for granted, as does the Son of Man, Himself. Speaking of Himself, He said, For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works (Matthew 16:27). II. THE NATURE OF ANGELS Angels are not emanations from God, nor are they the present state of the deceased, or fat little babies with wings. The Bible gives no credence to these imaginary ideas. Neither does the Bible ever present angels as imaginary or symbolic beings. What, then, are angels? All three members of the Tri-unity cooperated in the creation of all things; but Colossians 1:16 focuses on Christ as Creator of all things, including, invisible things, namely, thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, which are rankings of angels: For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him. God chides Job, Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding! 5. Who has set its measurements, for you know? Or who has stretched the line on it? 6. On what are its bases sunk, or who cast its cornerstone, 7. when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-6) Verse 7 tells us that the morning stars, the sons of God, that is, angels, rejoiced as God created and established the physical universe. It is clear, then, that God created the angels before He created the physical universe. And inasmuch as the Scriptures say nothing about the creation of angels at any other time, and that Messiah did say that angels are incapable of reproduction (Mark 12:25), it is fair to conclude that they were all created at the same time before the creation of the heavens and the earth. There are three classes of beings that either are spirit, or have spirits. God is a Spirit, people have spirits, and angels are spirits. That angels are spirit beings is clearly stated in Hebrews 1:14: 13. But to which of the angels, did He say at any time, "Sit on My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool?" 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be the heirs of salvation? The attributes of personality are intellect, emotions and will. Angels Possess Intellect. 1 Peter 1:12 tells us that the angels desire to look into salvation. They desire to ponder it. This cannot be done without intellect. Angels Have Emotions. At creation, the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy (Job 38:7). Joy is an emotion. Each Angel Possesses a Will. Jude 1:6 speaks of certain angels having deserted their dwelling place; and that requires free will. III. ANGELS HAVE SPIRIT BODIES As we have seen in Hebrews 1:14, angels are...spirits; and yet the Scriptures present them as having bodies. This is difficult for us to comprehend because the only kinds of bodies we are familiar with are material bodies; but even among material bodies there are vastly different kinds. There are bodies of flesh, blood and bone, but there are also jellyfish bodies; and let's not forget that after the resurrection, we, ourselves, will have vastly different kinds bodies than we have now, immortal bodies suited for life in the heavenlies (1 Corinthians 15:50). So God can be quite versatile in the creation of bodies. B. WHAT KIND OF BODIES DO ANGELS HAVE? Angels, who are spirit beings, do not have bodies of flesh and bones. In His glorified state, Yeshua declared, a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see Me have (Luke 24:39). Since their bodies are not material bodies, even glorified material bodies, and since the Bible does not say that they have spirits, but are spirits, it seems logical to designate their bodies as spirit bodies. C. ATTRIBUTES OF ANGELIC SPIRIT BODIES 1. Angels are Male 2. Three Kinds of Angelic Bodies 3. Angelic Bodies Do Not Have Earthly Space Constrictions IV. ATTRIBUTES OF ANGELIC SPIRITS Angels are immortal: They are incapable of dying. In Luke 20:36, Yeshua said, Nor can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels.... Angels are exceedingly powerful. In 2 Chronicles 32:21, a single angel destroyed the entire Assyrian army: And Jehovah sent an angel to cut off all the mighty men of power, and the leaders and commanders in the camp of the king of Assyria. Holiness, in this case meaning sinlessness in nature and action, is an attribute that applies only to those angels who did not follow Lucifer in his rebellion against God and have consequently retained their unblemished holiness ever since. In Luke 9:26, Yeshua said, For whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words, the Son of Man shall be ashamed of him when He shall come in His own and in His Father's glory, and that of the holy angels. The angelic rebellion will be covered in our next study. All of the holy angels are unflagging servants of God and of the saved of all ages. Hebrews 1:14: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation? But within that broad cover of being servants of God and the saved of all ages, each of the angelic orders has its own areas of holy service. We'll look at each order, beginning with the highest, and touch on the highlights of its realms of service. A. THE SERVICE OF THE CHERUBIM Cherubim are intimately associated with the Shechinah, the glorious, visible manifestation of the presence of God, as in Ezekiel 1:26-28; 9:3 and 10:1-22. In Ezekiel 10:1, we see the throne of God burning with glory and hovering above the cherubim: And I looked, and behold! In the expanse over the head of the cherubs was seen the appearance of the form of a throne, like a sapphire stone, above them. We can see this association, as well, in the multiple representations and associations of the cherubim in the Solomonic Temple (Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1; 37:7-9; 1 Kings 6:23-28; 1 Kings 7:29, 36; 1 Kings 8:6-7; 1 Chronicles 28:18; 2 Chronicles 3:7; Ezekiel 9:3; 10:1-22) and Millennial Temple (Ezekiel 41:18-20). Angels also appear to be guarding the twelve gates of New Jerusalem, the future and eternal abiding place of the saved of all ages: Revelation 21:12: And it had a great and high wall, with twelve gates. And on the gates were twelve angels, and having names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel: The type of guardianship we see in these scriptures differs from the guardianship of those angels whom we call guardian angels. The Edenic and New Jerusalem guardianship are over places. The guardianship of guardian angels is over individual people or groups of people, as we will see. B. THE SERVICE OF THE SERAPHIM
From this passage, we see that the seraphim hover above God's throne and worship Him. We also see that they are involved in the sanctification of those whom God calls. In Revelation 5:8-10, 14, we see them worshiping the Lamb. In Revelation 6:1-7 and chapters 15 and 16, we see them announcing and carrying out God's bowl judgments during the Great Tribulation. C. THE SERVICE OF THE LOWEST RANK OF ANGELS As has been noted, one of the three orders of angels is designated simply as angels. The hosts, or armies, of God, are angels, and Michael the archangel is their commander (Revelation 12:7). In Daniel 10:13-21, we see that Michael has special oversight over the nation of Israel. In Daniel 8:15-27; 9:20-27; Lu. 1:11-20; 26-38, the angel Gabriel was God's messenger of revelation. So we see that members of this class of angels serve in a military capacity, and at least one has served as a messenger. It is likely, as well, that the guardian angels, are of this class of angel. Guardian angels is not a term found in the Bible, but the Bible does note that some angels are assigned guardianships over individuals and certain groups of people. A. IN WHAT RANK ARE THE GUARDIAN ANGELS? We've seen that cherubim and seraphim are primarily engaged in the worship and holiness of God. We've also seen that Michael, who is in the lower rank of angels, has a guardianship over Israel. It therefore seems more than likely that the guardian angels are among the lower rank of angels. B. GUARDIAN ANGELS OVER BELIEVERS Angels are assigned guardianships over believers. Psalm 34:7: The Angel of Jehovah camps round about those who fear Him, and delivers them. This scripture definitely applied to Old Testament saints. Whether or not it applies to church saints is addressed below. In view of the fact that the righteous have guardian angels, Albert Barnes concludes: "We should not despise the obscurest Christian, for he is ministered to by the highest and noblest of beings, by beings who are always enjoying the favor and friendship of God." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible) C. GUARDIAN ANGELS OVER CHILDREN In Matthew 18:10, Yeshua said, Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father in Heaven. Judging from Psalm 34:7 and Psalm 91:11-12, and by the fact that Yeshua said, Take heed! Watch out! we need to conclude that these angels are guardians; and as it is obvious that babies are alive within the womb (Luke 1:41), it is fair to conclude that each child is assigned a guardian angel at the moment of conception. D. GUARDIAN ANGELS OVER LOCAL CONGREGATIONS In Revelation 2:1 - 3:14, John was commissioned to write a letter to the angel over each of the seven churches of Asia. The Greek word for "angel," angelos, means messenger. Angelos has been translated that way a number of times in the New Testament in clear reference to human messengers (Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 7:27, Philippians 2:25), but it is also used frequently in clear reference to heavenly angels (e.g., Acts 5:19). As concerns the angels to the seven churches, the question arises as to whether angelos should be translated as a celestial "angel," or as a human "messenger." I've seen good arguments for both positions, but I lean toward the former for these reasons: This angel is never called an angel of the LORD, but always the Angel of the LORD (YHVH). He is a special, unique angel. A. THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH IS JEHOVAH GOD Exodus 3:2,4: 2. And the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a thorn bush.... 4. And Jehovah saw that he had turned aside to see. God called to him out of the midst of the thorn bush, and said, "Moses! Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." The Angel of Jehovah in verse 2 is clearly identical with Jehovah and God in verse 4. B. THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH IS THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRI-UNITY We'll prove this by relating passages from Exodus 3 and 4 and Numbers 22-24 with 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. Now, 1 Corinthians 10:1-4:
The spiritual Rock that followed them was the Angel so intimately involved in their Exodus and wilderness wanderings; and that Rock was Christ. C. THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH APPEARED AS A MAN As did the other angels who appeared on earth, whenever the Angel of the Jehovah appeared on earth, He had the appearance of a man, as can be seen in Judges 13:3-11, in which Samson's parents thought that the Angel was a man. D. WHAT WAS THIS ANGEL'S MINISTRY? In examining the passages in which the Angel of the LORD appeared, the overall picture is that He orchestrated Israel's history, and orchestrated history for Israel. It must be remembered that it was the Son of God who appeared as the Angel of the LORD, and that it was this same Son who would one day climax Israel's history at the cross. In Genesis 16, the Angel promised that Ishmael would live and that his hand would be against his brother (Isaac's descendents through Jacob). In Genesis 18, Abraham pled with Him on behalf of Sodom, but in Genesis 19, He dispatched His two companion angels to destroy Sodom, whose extreme wickedness would no doubt have eventually defiled Israel. In Genesis 22:1, the Angel tested Abraham's faith and then stayed his hand from slaying Isaac. In Genesis 24:7 and 40, Abraham promised Eliezer the Angel's protection as he embarked to find a wife for Isaac. In Genesis 31:11-12, He affirmed to Jacob that it was He who blessed Jacob with the striped and spotted cattle of Laban's herds, thereby blessing him with wealth before his return to his land. In Genesis 32:24, Jacob prevailed over the Angel and won His blessing. In Genesis 48:16, we see that it was the Angel who redeemed Israel (Jacob) from all evil. In Exodus 3 and 4, we saw that it was the Angel who protected, provided for, and guided Israel into Canaan. In Joshua 5:14, the Angel strengthened Joshua with the knowledge of His presence before Joshua's attack on Jericho. In Judges 2, the Angel rebuked Israel for not driving out all of the Canaanites. Again, the big picture that we see in the Scripture is that He orchestrated Israel's history, and that He orchestrated history for Israel. VIII. DO ANGELS MINISTER ON OUR BEHALF TODAY? Some doubt or deny that angels minister on behalf of
believers today. The chief reason that is given, it seems, is that we don't need the ministry of angels because we have the Holy Spirit. But the apostles had the Holy Spirit also, and yet, angels ministered on their behalf. In Acts 5:19, an angel got the apostles out of prison; in Acts 8:26, an angel directed Philip to go to Gaza - and this Philip was not an apostle; in Acts 12:7-11, an angel got Peter out of prison; in Acts 27:21-26, an angel told Paul that he must stand before Caesar and gave him counsel for his storm-tossed shipmates; in Revelation 1:1, an angel brought the Revelation from
Yeshua to John. The argument that saints do not receive ministry from angels because they have the Spirit obviously does not stand. Even
Yeshua, in His glorified, ascended state, is said to have His own angel (Revelation 1:1). IX. DOES THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH Psalm 34:7 says, The Angel of the LORD camps round about those who fear Him. That statement was made under the Law of Moses; but is it true today? Several translations of Acts 5:19, 8:26 and 12:7 contain the phrase the Angel of the Lord, and these are the only three passages where the phrase appears after the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. In each case, however, the literal translations I checked render it, an angel of the Lord, using the indefinite article an, not the definite article the. Furthermore, in each case, the word Lord is used in all of the above translations, not LORD. Lord is translated from the word kurios, the possible translations of which are God, Lord or Master (Strong's Concordance). LORD, however, all in capital letters, is universally used to represent YHVH or Jehovah in the Angel of the LORD. In addition, I found at least one commentator for each of these passages that aver that it was an angel and not the Angel, and no commentator for any of these passages that states that it was the Angel. In other words, the Angel of the LORD is nowhere mentioned as acting during the Church Age. I therefore cannot conclude that the Angel of the LORD camps round about church saints, that is, believers between Pentecost and the Rapture, but can conclude that He probably does not. X. ZONE DEFENSE, OR ONE ON ONE? Has a specific group of angels been charged with general oversight over a specific group of people, or have individual angels been assigned oversight over individual people or groups? Consider: A. THE DISCIPLES THOUGHT THAT PETER HAD HIS OWN ANGEL Many [disciples] who had gathered to pray (Acts 12:12) thought that Peter, whom they thought was in jail and now knocked at their door, was his angel. Acts 12:15: And they said to her, You are mad. But she kept on saying that it was so. And they said, It is his angel.B. INDIVIDUAL ANGELS ARE ASSIGNED TO INDIVIDUAL NATIONS The archangel Michael was assigned by God to be Israel's guardian (Daniel 12:1), and Daniel 10:13 and 20 tell us that Persia and Greece had their own specific angelic rulers. The angels over Persia and Greece were demons, but were overseers over individual nations, nevertheless. The close disciples of the apostles believed that the one who stood at the door was Peter's own angel, Yeshua stated that children have their own angels, individual nations have their own angels, and each of the seven churches of Asia had its own angel. I must therefore conclude that all children, church saints, churches and nations have their own individual angels. XI. THE NATURE OF ANGEL GUARDIANSHIPS It is instructive to see that the same Angel who guarded Israel from the Egyptian army and brought them into Canaan cursed the Israeli city of Meroz for not assisting Israel in the day of battle (Judges 5:3). The guardianship of angels, then, does not contradict the liberty to sin that God has given, nor does it prevent the elements of the curse from having its effects, nor does it prevent trials, injustices, persecutions, divine chastisements, reaping the bad fruit of bad seed that we sow, and the like. All of these things are either caused or permitted by God. It is plain that God has a specific purpose for everyone He has called. Consider, for example, that Esther was placed in Persia for such a time as this (Esther 4:14), and that each believer is endowed with spiritual gifts specifically chosen by the Holy Spirit for that individual (1 Corinthians 12:11). The purpose of angelic guardianships, then, is to allow only those things into our lives that will mold us, direct us and propel us according to God's good pleasure and purpose in and through our lives. One caution. It may be tempting to some to worship or pray to angels, knowing that they guard us, our children, our brothers and sisters in the Lord and our churches, and if we are Israelis, our nation; but we are warned not to do it. And again:
In Colossians 2:18, Paul speaks disdainfully of those who worship angels: Let no one defraud you, delighting in humility and worship of the angels, intruding into things which he has not seen, without a cause being vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.... In the above verses, we are warned to not worship angels; but neither are we to pray to them. So be it. XIII. A TOPIC FOR FUTURE STUDY Angels do minister on behalf of believers today, but so does the Holy Spirit. In view of this double celestial ministry toward us, the question arises, "How do the ministries of the angels and the Holy Spirit coordinate?" To come up with specifics, it would seem helpful to consider these points and carry out the suggested project: The Points: The Project: Perhaps this would be a study for you to carry out. Let me know what you come up with. :-)
~ The third point of the AMC's doctrinal statement declares beliefs concerning Satan and demons, and the fourth, on the holy angels. Inasmuch as the Bible informs us that all angels were once holy, including those we now refer to as Satan and demons, we addressed our beliefs concerning the holy angels in our last study, and will now address our beliefs concerning Satan and demons. THE AMC STATEMENT ON SATAN AND DEMONS
This study will demonstrate biblical support for the existence of Satan and his demonic host, describe their nature, and support the claims in the statement. The word demon or demons is found about seventy-five times in the New Testament, and other designations are employed for them, as well. In no case are they presented as imaginary or fictitious, not even by the Son of God, Himself. In Mark 7:29, Yeshua used the term quite literally: And He said to her, For this saying go, the demon has gone out of your daughter. Satan, too, is a demon, and he is mentioned numerous times in both testaments, as will be seen below. Angels were created by God before He created the heavens and the earth; but one-third of them became demons when they rebelled against God. Their rebellion will be addressed below. Demons are not the disembodied spirits of a pre-Adamic race as at least one writer tried to prove. The Bible speaks of Adam as the first man (1 Corinthians 15:45, 47), and its explanation as to the origin of demons contradicts, and therefore nullifies, that writer's claim. What, then, are demons? Demons are angels; and everything that the Scriptures teach about the nature of angels - except for holiness - is true of demons. Demons are angels, but unholy ones; ones that have chosen to rebel against God and have retained their defiled, sinful nature since that time. A simple definition of demon is: A demon is an unholy, rebellious, thoroughly depraved angel bent on destroying the plans, the works, and the people of God; indeed, all people. C. THE NUMBER AND KINDS OF DEMONS The holy angels are referred to as an innumerable company (Hebrews 12:22), and they are but two-thirds of the original number of holy angels. One-third (Revelation 12:3-4) of the original number joined Satan in his rebellion against God. Surely their huge number is made up of all three classes of angels: cherubim, seraphim, and the lowest rank of angels called, simply, angels. IV. THE ORGANIZATION OF DEMONS Are the demons organized in ranks? As a foundational consideration, it is instructive to remember that there are rankings among the holy angels: the cherubim are the highest order, the seraphim are next, and the rank and file angels are next; and each functions in its own realms of service. It is also helpful to remember that the Anointed Cherub had preeminence over all the other angels before his fall, and that Michael is the military commander over the rank and file angels (Revelation 12:7). B. DEMONS OF AUTHORITY AND LESSER DEMONS There are scriptures that refer to demon powers in various ways as over against powers of flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). They are: Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21, 3:10, 6:12; and Colossians 1:16 and 2:15. Combining their designations from these scriptures, they are: principalities, powers in the heavenlies, world rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual wickedness in high places, thrones, dominions, authorities. This author has been unable to determine whether each of these designations can apply to all demons, or whether each refers to demons with particular assignments or levels of authority. Nevertheless, other passages do indicate that there are demons of greater and lesser authority. 1. Demon King and Subjects 2. Demon Rulers Over Nations Parenthetically, this causes one to wonder whether there might be a demon prince over all the world's governments. Would that include Israel? On the one hand, the same passage that speaks of the demon princes of Persia and Greece also names the holy angel Michael as the Prince of Israel. On the other hand, both in ancient times and in modern, Israel has had its share of demonic activity. In this regard it differs from no other nation. Note that Revelation 11:15 does not differentiate between Israel and the other kingdoms of this world: The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever. In the future, the kingdoms of this world will come under the direct dominion of Messiah; but for now, they are all under the dominion of Satan and his host. It just may be that Satan has assigned his own prince over Israel just as God has assigned His. Thus far, we can conclude that there are at least three rankings of angels: Satan the king or prince, rulers over nation (designated in other ways, as well), and rank and file demons. It seems likely that, since there are demonic rulers over nations, there are rulers of lesser authority over cities and other municipalities, as well; but, to my recollection, scripture does not spell this out. To sum up, there are three clear ranks of demons, and there may be more. In descending order of authority, they are: king or prince, rulers over nations, and all other demons. It is also possible that the original levels of authority granted to cherubim, seraphim, and rank and file angels are retained in the demonic realm. Satan certainly has retained his. Scripture does not appear to make demonic rankings any clearer than this. Most of the attention in this study is given to Satan, not to his underling demons, because he is representative of all demons in his nature and goals. It must be understood, however, that the vast majority of all demonic activity is carried out by Satan's underlings, not by Satan himself. In common conversation, when it is said that Satan did a particular work, it almost always means that he was in charge of the work, not that he actually carried it out himself. It is like saying that Hitler killed six million Jews. It is understood that he, personally, did not do the killing, but that he gave the order for it, and that the hands-on work of killing was actually carried out by others under him in rank. Unless Scripture specifically identifies Satan personally as the one carrying out a specific activity, it should be assumed that that activity is carried out by one or more of his underling demons. B. SATAN'S NATURE AND POSITIONS In the Scriptures, Satan is identified by various designations, including names, titles, descriptions and animal-like representations, which, in themselves, tell quite a lot about him. I felt it most instructive to sort these out under headings having to do with his original nature, his original positions, his present nature, and his present positions. 1. The Original Nature of Satan The Anointed Cherub. Ezekiel 28:14 begins, You were the anointed cherub.... As to the nature of his spirit body, Satan was a cherub, and always will be.Day-Star, and Son of the Morning. These two designations appear in Isaiah 14:12: How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning!The King James translates the original Hebrew word for day-star into the Latin Lucifer which, like other designations of Satan, including Satan itself, hides its meaning. What's more, the designation Lucifer has a most negative connotation, whereas the original Hebrew for Day-Star and Son of the Morning have very positive ones. The only biblical designations that properly apply to Satan before his rebellion are Anointed Cherub, Day-Star and Son of the Morning. Day-Star has also been variously translated as Morning-Star and Shining-Star. According to Dr. Fruchtenbaum, "The correct title is day-star, son of the morning. The Hebrew emphasizes him as being the shining one. It emphasizes how he was in his original state:" (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold G. Radio Manuscript # 077, Satanology: The Doctrine of Satan. San Antonio: Ariel Ministries Press. P. 14.) In addition to his special anointing, which we'll consider shortly, Ezekiel 28:12 reveals how he was the shining one: Son of man, lift up a lament over the king of Tyre, and say to him, So says the Lord Jehovah: You seal the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He was the shining one by virtue of his special anointing and by the fact that he was filled to angelic capacity with wisdom and perfection in angelic beauty. 2. The Original Positions of Satan Ezekiel 28:13b reveals yet another facet of his position as The Anointed Cherub that Covers: The workmanship of your tambourines and of your flutes was prepared in you in the day that you were created. These musical instruments were in him as he hovered above God, above the seraphim (Isaiah 6:2) and above the other cherubim (Ezekiel 10:1). It is the picture of a worship leader who led the entire company of angels in the worship of God. To sum up, three positions are included in the title The Anointed Cherub that Covers: a. His Basic Nature 2) The Evil One. This title is found in Matthew 6:13, John 17:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:3 and 1 John 5:18-19. According to Strong's, the Greek word for evil here is poneyros, which means evil in influence or effect. The title indicates that he is totally evil in everything he influences and does. 3) Satan. This name of The Evil One is found over fifty times in the Scriptures, and means adversary. Because he is The Evil One, he is the adversary of God, His ways, His works and His people, and indeed, of all people. 1 Chronicles 21:1 shows an example of his adversarial stance against the people of God: And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. b. His Goals 2) A Roaring Lion. 1 Peter 5:8 says, ... your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour; This, too, portray Satan as a destroyer of people. In context, it specifically portrays him as a destroyer of the faith and walk of believers. c. His Means of Achieving His Goals 2) The Deceiver. This designation is found in Revelation 12:9, in which Satan is called, the deceiver of the whole world, showing him as the one who, by deception, deceives the great mass of humanity into rejecting God and His ways. As often as he is able he even deceives believers into rejecting God's good counsel, which is why Ephesians 6:11 exhorts us to stand against the wiles of the devil. 3) The Angel of Light. Found in 2 Corinthians 11:14, this designation shows that Satan carries out the work of deception by offering appealing counterfeits of true moral and spiritual understanding, of which this kosmos abounds in its legion of false religions, philosophies, beliefs and opinions. 4) The Devil. Devil means Accuser or Slanderer, and declares the chief way he seeks to cause division between God and His people, and between God's people. It is used only in the New Testament, and is found there thirty-five times. 5) The Accuser of the Brethren. Revelation 12:10 designates Satan as the accuser of believers. Job 1:9-11 and 2:5 show him in action, accusing righteous Job to God's face. d. How He Employs His Means 2) The Dragon. Satan is portrayed as a dragon in Revelation 12, emphasizing the great power and ferocity he employed in his attempt to devour the Child of the woman (Revelation 12:4; Matthew 2), and will employ to destroy the woman, Israel, who gave birth to the Child (Revelation 12:13). 4. The Present Positions of Satan 1) The Prince of Demons. This title is found in Matthew 12:24 and Luke 11:15, and obviously shows his authority over all other demons. 2) The Prince of the Powers of the Air. This title is found in Ephesians 2:2, and likewise shows that Satan, who presently abides in the atmosphere, is the ruler of his subordinate powers of the air, the demons, who also abide in the atmosphere. b. In Relation to the Present World System 1) The God of This Age. This title is found in 2 Corinthians 4:4, and emphasizes Satan's control of this age, whose world view is so contrary to that of Messiah's. 2) The Prince of This World. This designation appears in John 12:31, 14:30, and 16:11. In each case, the Greek word for world is kosmos, which refers to our world system in regards to its prevailing satanic spirit and the way that it's consequently arranged and conducted, as opposed to the spirit of the Kingdom of God and the way that it is arranged and conducted. 4) The King of Tyre. This title is found in Ezekiel 28:11-12 and, viewed in the context of verses 11-19, likewise metaphorically portrays Satan as the demon king of all earthly kingdoms.
Similarly, 2 Peter 2:10b: They are presumptuous, self-willed, not trembling when they speak evil of angelic glories. In reference to the Jude passage, Adam Clarke notes, "It was a Jewish maxim, as may be seen in Synopsis Sohar, page 92, note 6: 'It is not lawful for man to prefer ignominious reproaches, even against wicked spirits.' (See Schoettgen)" This is a principle which the author has seen flagrantly violated by people who ought to have known better. 2) Beelzebub. Beelzebub means Lord of the Flies, and is found in Matthew 10:25; 12:24, 27; Mark 3:22; and Luke 11:15, 18, 19. It is a comical term for Satan employed by the rabbis of Yeshua's day. Beelzebub is a play on Beelzebul, the Greek form of the original Philistine name, which means Lord of the Royal Palace. For Part 2 of this study, please go to Spiritual Warfare immediately following; but first . . . If you are not a believer, I respectfully ask you to consider my appeal. The Bible says that if you have not invited Yeshua into your life to be your Savior, you are in the grip of the Devil, though you may not realize it. Satan does not always come as a roaring lion. Sometimes he comes as an angel of light. He is the Arch Deceiver. You may think that he does not exist, or that you have power over him, or can control your dabbling in the occult if that is the case with you. Yet, Scripture - even Yeshua Himself - affirms that he does exist and that you have no power over the him if you are not one of Messiah's; and that when you die, you will die with your sins unforgiven, and will be cast out of God's holy presence and into Hell. This is grievous, but eternal, truth. Believing in Yeshua is winning the ultimate and eternal victory. God sent Yeshua from Heaven to die as a sacrifice for your sins upon the cross. He then raised Him from the dead to live with Him in Heaven once again so that He might fill you with Messiah's resurrection victory and eternal life. Here on earth you will know His presence, His guidance, and victory over the Devil's temptations and grip; and when you die, you will be with Him in Heaven. What is required of you? No penance and no amount of righteous living can wash away your sin. Simply admit to God that you are a sinner, and believe:
Ask God to show you if this is true. If your heart is quieted and you will listen to His Word within your spirit, you will hear. Then simply welcome Yeshua into your life to be your Savior. God will forgive you for your sins and you will be filled with the Holy Spirit, Who will make your spirit eternally alive in Messiah, and you will be His forever.
With all the love of One who went to the cross for you, Yeshua said, ~ Mark 1:15, BBE ~ Please read my personal story at www.BibleStudyProject.org. Blessings to you! The Nature and Positions ~ ~ SATAN AND DEMONS ~
2.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE:
SATAN'S ATTACKS INTRODUCTION Spiritual warfare as waged by the believer takes place on the three fronts, often referred to in Scripture as the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The world refers to our present world system, which is controlled by Satan (as in 1 John 2:15-17); the flesh refers to our sin nature (as in Romans 7:5); and "the Devil" includes Satan and his demonic host (Ephesians 6:12). This study will address the believer's spiritual warfare against Satan and his demonic host. I. THE HISTORY OF SATAN AND HIS DEMONS: S atan's temptation of Eve demonstrated that his nature was already corrupted with evil, indicating that his rebellion against God took place prior to the Edenic temptation. Passages from Isaiah and Ezekiel describe his insurrection.
Revelation 12:3-4 is not a description of Satan's original rebellion, but it does reveal how many angels he was able to win to his camp: 3. And another sign was seen in the heavens. And behold a great red dragon.... 4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them onto the earth. Keil and Delitzsch render Ezekiel 28:16 and 18 as follows: 16. On account of the multitude of thy commerce, thine inside was filled with wrong, and thou didst sin.... 18. Through the multitude of thy sins in thine unrighteous trade thou hast profaned thy holy places. Strong's Concordance gives three possible translations of the word translated commerce and trade: trade (as peddled), merchandise, traffic. Whatever Satan peddled was not of a material nature, as material trade does not take place in heaven. What he must have peddled were promises of power and glory related to his five I wills of Isaiah 14:12-14, above. B. SATAN'S ATTACKS AGAINST THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE Satan seeks to destroy the entire human race. Isaiah 14:12 refers to him as the one who "laid low the nations." Revelation 12:9 calls him "the deceiver of the whole world." 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, ... the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them. Satan blinds individuals to the light of God, and brings down nations morally and in every other way because its citizens are spiritually blinded. C. SATAN'S ATTACKS AGAINST PRE-ABRAHAMIC MAN Not satisfied with having won the allegiance of a third of the angels, Satan drew the human race into his rebellion against God with his successful temptation of Eve in the Garden and the subsequent sin of Adam in following of Eve's lead (Genesis 3:1-6). Our first parents' sin resulted in the depravity (sin nature) of the entire human race and in the curse upon the earth and every earthly creature (Genesis 3:14-19). Human depravity soon found its expression in the murder of Abel by Cain (Genesis 4:1-8) and in the gross wickedness of virtually the entire human race: Genesis 6:5: And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. For this cause, God purged the corrupted human race by means of the Noahic flood (Genesis 6-8); but man's innate wickedness climaxed again at the tower of Babel, an astrological observatory whose purpose was to spurn the worship of God by seeking guidance from the stars and by worshiping demons, for which cause God scattered them abroad by means of confounding their language (Genesis 11:1-9). D. SATAN'S ATTACKS AGAINST THE JEWS 1. The Root of Anti-Semitism In Genesis 12:1-4, God called out a man from among his people to begin a new people through whom He would bring forth the Seed of the Woman. God called Abram out from among the Chaldeans to father the nation Israel. From that moment on, Satan has focused his venom upon the Jews. If he could destroy Israel he could prevent the birth of the Seed and his own subsequent demise. Having been unable to prevent the birth of the Seed, he still seeks to destroy Israel for he knows that it is the national salvation of Israel that will trigger the Seed's return (Hosea 5:15; Matthew 23:37-39). It must be noted that Satan's efforts at preventing Messiah's advents is the spiritual root of all anti-Semitism. No means has been spared by Satan in his attempts to destroy the messianic hope by means of destroying the Jews, and his chief avenues have been physical and theological. 2. Physical Attacks Satan will continue to stir up anti-Semitic tsunamis against the Jews even until he is cast into the abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-2). In the second half of the Great Tribulation, he foments and leads the greatest persecution of the Jews in history in his final attempt to destroy them, succeeding in killing two-thirds of them (Revelation 12:6, 13-15; Zechariah 13:8), twice the fraction of Hitler's one-third. It is this future persecution that Jesus was referring to when He said, in Matthew 24:15-22,
There will be such a slaughter of the elect, Israel, that the Lord will bring those days to a close to physically save the remaining one-third so that He might subsequently save them spiritually (Zechariah 13:1, 8-9). 3. Theological Attacks b. Theological Corruption to Preserve Israel's Spiritual Blindness c. Theological Corruption in the Church Leading to Underevangelism or Evangelistic Neglect of the Jews To restate these errors simply: The first has resulted in the underevangelism of the Jews; the second, to non-evangelism of the Jews - the exact opposite of "to the Jew first," which principle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, walked out throughout his entire ministry, as can easily be traced in the Books of Acts. (See the author's article, Messianic Issues in Jewish Salvation.) d. Theological Corruption of Judaism's Spiritual Leaders E. SATAN'S ATTACKS AGAINST YESHUA HIMSELF Indeed, Satan attacked our Lord directly. When Herod heard that the magi had come to worship the recently born King of the Jews, he ordered the slaughter of all males below the age of two in the vicinity of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-16). That Satan was behind this attack is shown in Revelation 12:1-5:
Genesis 37:9-11 explains the symbolism. The sun was the patriarch Joseph's father, who was Jacob or Israel; the moon was his mother, Rachel; and the eleven stars are Joseph's brothers who, with Joseph, make the twelve stars, which symbolize the patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. Therefore, the woman in the midst of these symbols represents the nation Israel whose child, who is going to rule all nations with a rod of iron, ascended to His heavenly Father after His resurrection. The Revelation passage reveals that before the child was even born, the dragon and his demonic host were poised on earth so that when she bears he might devour her child. Thus, the slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem. Satan attacked our Lord immediately after He was launched into ministry at His baptism, this time by trying to get Him to sin (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1-13), which would have disqualified Him from being the sinless Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 36). He attacked again when He moved Peter to rebuke Jesus for speaking about going to the cross (Matthew 16:21-23). He attacked Him repeatedly through Yeshua's unbelieving Jewish brethren by getting them to try to kill Him on a number of occasions (John 10:31), but in the wrong way, so He would not fulfill the prophecies of His crucifixion (e.g., Psalm 22:16), and at the wrong time, so He wouldn't be the Passover Lamb (Isaiah 52:13-53:12), nullifying the atonement aspect of His death. Finally, Satan attacked again to kill Jesus, using as his agents Judas Iscariot, the son of perdition (John 13:2, 27; 17:2), and the Jewish spiritual leadership (Matthew 26:14-15). (However, God, in His providence, saw to it that Jesus did die at the right time and in the right way. It was the plan of the chief priests to kill Jesus, but not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people [Matthew 26:5, Mark 14:2], which would have been consistent with Satan's desire to kill Jesus at the wrong time; but when Jesus let Judas know that He knew that Judas was His betrayer, Judas went to the high priests [John 13:27-30] and no doubt informed them that Jesus knew of the plot. The chief priests then sought to take Jesus immediately and delivered Him to be killed in the right way and at the right time [Matthew 26:17-30, 47-49; Mark 14:1-46; Luke 22:1-47; John 18:1-3]), though they were blind to it, causing Satan's plan to be overridden.) F. SATAN'S ATTACKS AGAINST THE CHURCH Yeshua, of course, did become the slaughtered Lamb of God, rose from the dead, and birthed the church. Satan now focuses his attacks on the church, the corporate ambassador of Messiah on earth, as well as on Israel. By means of false doctrine and sinful enticements, Satan has succeeded in causing the corruption of the beliefs and morals of many believers; indeed, of perhaps all believers, to one degree or another. In Acts 20:29-30, Paul said to the Ephesian elders, 29. For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30. Also men shall arise from your own selves, speaking perverse things in order to draw disciples away after them. Satan has scored victories in the lives of all believers by getting all to sin (1 John 1:10), some to such an extent that they have become useless for godly service (1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Timothy 1:19). False doctrine and sinful temptations have poisoned the church spiritually, led to ungodly practices, shattered the church into thousands of slivers, and ruined the lion's share of its potential witness. He has also attacked the church furiously and unceasingly since the day of its birth by means of social ostracism and physical persecutions in every degree, even causing the murder of believers in the millions. G. SATAN'S ATTACKS AGAINST ALL THE UNSAVED Satan's attacks on the church are an indirect attack on unbelievers. To the extent that he can neutralize or corrupt the church he can neutralize and corrupt the church's witness to the world. But he attacks unbelievers directly, also, by blinding their minds to the truth of the gospel: 2 Corinthians 4:3-4: 3. But also if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those being lost, 4. in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them. In addition, he seeks to kill unbelievers while they are yet in that state of blindness lest the Lord open their eyes and they be saved, as is evidenced by the ceaseless killings and wars upon the planet whose kosmos he controls (James 1:15 and 4:1). II. THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO THE ATTACKS OF SATAN A. TO HIS ATTACKS AGAINST NON-CHRISTIANS Jesus, Paul and James said, You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8), and Jesus said, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) In other words, we are to love all of the unsaved, even our enemies and the unsavory.
The making of disciples, of course, must begin with the preaching of the Gospel. Mark 16:15-16: 15. And He said to them, Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation. 16. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. Secondly, the believer is to administer acts of mercy and of power to the unsaved ( Matthew 14:15-21; 20:34), including feeding the hungry, counseling the troubled, and administering healings and exorcisms as the Lord provides leading and empowerment. Such ministry is of great value in itself (James 1:27), but it also softens the hearts of many to the ministry of the gospel, which is the greatest ministry of all. B. TO HIS ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS THEMSELVES 1. "No Trespassing!" Dr. Fruchtenbaum writes, "In this passage, give place means 'give a beachhead.'" (Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. Radio Manuscript #19: The Darkness of Demonism. San Antonio: Ariel Ministries Press. P. 21). A beachhead is a strip of territory just within enemy territory. We are to put up a sign on the borders of our lives that says to the enemy, "No Trespassing!" Upon recognizing when he is on the attack, we are to resolve to prevent his entry into our lives in any degree. We are to do that by resisting him; but if he does gain entry, whether through our lack of vigilance or through our rolling out of the red carpet for him, we are to repent and force him out through resistance, even by commanding him to leave, if necessary, as Jesus did with Peter (Mark 8:31-33, below). If need be, we are to seek the prayers, counsel and assistance of mature brethren in getting the job done. That's what the body of Messiah is for. 2. The Christian Is to Resist the Devil 1 Peter 5:8-9: 8. Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour; 9. whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood. We are to resist the Devil in humility, but firmly, and in the faith, meaning within scriptural truth and obedience. 3. How Is the Christian to Resist the Devil?
Various literal translations render high thing as "mental elevation" or "arrogance". We are not to attempt to defeat Satan by fleshly, or carnal, means. We are not to berate him, lose our tempers at him, or in any other way employ the world's means of gaining dominance. To do so would be to lose a round to Satan, not win one, as we'd actually be calling upon him to mold our attitude. We must defeat him by being mighty through God, through spiritual means, by means of the Spirit's guidance and empowerment, to pulling down imaginations. Various literal translations render imaginations as reasonings and arguments. In other words, the battle is in the thought realm. We're to purge out satanic thoughts and reasonings and replace them with godly thoughts and reasonings. This is done by "eating" the Scriptures and meditating on them before the Lord. To sum up this passage, defeating Satan requires the employment of biblical truth in a godly manner and attitude. This is spelled out in Ephesians 6:10-18:
Verse 12 tells us whom we battle against. Though satanic temptation or attack may come through another person or groups of persons, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Our battle is not against people, but against demons, spiritual wickedness in high places. Consistent with the assertion of 2 Corinthians 10:4, that the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, verse 10 tells us that we are to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Verses 13 through 18 tell us that we are to do that by putting on the whole armor of God. · We are to have our loins girded about with truth. Isaiah 11:5 says of the Messiah, righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins. The warrior's sword was hung from a belt about his waist. What enables the Christian warrior to bear his sword is the fact that he stands in Messiah's righteousness, which has been imputed to him at the moment of his salvation, For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)He is also to walk in righteousness, living a life dedicated to honoring Messiah. This, too, will enable him to carry his sword comfortably, properly and handily. The Christian warrior is to have on the breastplate of righteousness. Here again we see righteousness come into play in his warfare against the devil; only here it is for the protection of his heart and lungs, both necessary for life. Translated into spiritual terms, his righteousness will protect him from Satanic attack that may cause him to become shipwrecked (1 Timothy 1:19) or a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:27), that is, killing his usefulness for the Lord's service. Speaking of the Lord again, Isaiah said, in 59:17, For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; · The helmet of salvation of Ephesians 6:17, represents protection of the believer's thought life in that, despite the fiery darts that the Wicked One seeks to shoot into his mind, he will retain the assurance that he has the ultimate victory and can gain the immediate victory by virtue of his salvation and standing in Yeshua.· The Christian warrior is to have his feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Isaiah 52:7 says, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, making peace heard; who brings good news, making salvation heard; who says to Zion, Your God reigns!He is to be walking among the people, heralding the good news of salvation. This, too, wards off the enemy's attacks; and it speaks of a consistent lifestyle, not an occasional foray. · Above all, he is to take the shield of faith, with which [he] shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. We are to battle the enemy in faith: It is of faith so that it might be according to grace. (Romans 4:16)It is through faith in God's declarations and promises that the Christian warrior may appropriate the grace of God unto victory. · All of the armor that has been mentioned, thus far, has been defensive. One more item remains: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, the believer's sole and all-sufficient weapon. We thwart Satan's lies and temptations by opposing them through the declaration of God's truths and admonitions.· And all of the Christian's warfare is to be done praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. His warfare is always to be accompanied by prayer; not only for himself, but for all saints - even while he, personally, is under attack.4. How Jesus Defended Himself Against the Devil's Attacks
Four things should be noted here:
Satan attempted to dissuade the Lord from going to the cross, using Peter as his ambassador. Obviously, the Lord knew this; yet, He rebuked Peter. While Peter's motive was one of love for his Master, yet his plea and urgency were so in keeping with Satan's desire that Peter's desire and Satan's were one and the same: that Jesus not go to the cross. Unwittingly, Peter had truly become Satan's vicar. Hence the sharp rebuke directed squarely at Peter - not indirectly, but directly - a point that must not be missed - and simultaneously, at Satan: Go behind Me, Satan! For you do not mind the things of God, but of the things of men. Six things should be noted here: Obviously, Yeshua's response was sufficient: Peter's mouth was closed, Jesus won the battle against Satan's temptation, and Jesus did go to the cross. To combine our observations from these two passages: III. THE FINAL ABODE OF SATAN AND HIS DEMONIC HOST All of Satan's attempts to prevent the Lord's return will end in futility. Just as the Seed of the Woman went to the cross despite Satan's furious efforts to thwart Him from doing so, so the Lord will come again, have Satan bound in the abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 18:2), and finally cast him and his demons into the Lake of Fire for eternity (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-2,10).
One final word: The believer is to be aware of the wiles of the devil and do battle against him, but his focus is not to be on the devil, but on the Lord. Hebrews 12:1-2: 1. let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2. looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God. Let us, therefore, keep our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Amen. If you are not a believer, I respectfully ask you to consider my appeal. The Bible says that if you have not invited Jesus into your life to be your Savior, you are in the grip of the Devil, though you may not realize it. Satan does not always come as a roaring lion. Sometimes he comes as an angel of light. He is the Arch Deceiver. You may think that he does not exist, or that you have power over him, or can control your dabbling in the occult if that is the case with you. Yet, Scripture - even Jesus Himself - affirms that he does exist and that you have no power over the him if you are not one of Messiah's; and that when you die, you will die with your sins unforgiven, and will be cast out of God's holy presence and into Hell. This is grievous, but eternal, truth. Believing in Jesus is winning the ultimate and eternal victory. God sent Jesus from Heaven to die as a sacrifice for your sins upon the cross. He then raised Him from the dead to live with Him in Heaven once again so that He might fill you with Messiah's resurrection victory and eternal life. Here on earth you will know His presence, His guidance, and victory over the Devil's temptations and grip; and when you die, you will be with Him in Heaven. What is required of you? No penance and no amount of righteous living can wash away your sin. Simply admit to God that you are a sinner, and believe:
Ask God to show you if this is true. If your heart is quieted and you will listen to His Word within your spirit, you will hear. Then simply welcome Jesus into your life to be your Savior. God will forgive you for your sins and you will be filled with the Holy Spirit, Who will make your spirit eternally alive in Messiah, and you will be His forever. With all the love of One who went to the cross for you, Jesus said, Let your hearts be turned from sin, and have faith in the good news. (Mark 1:15, BBE) Blessings to you! Please read my personal story at www.BibleStudyProject.org. Spiritual Warfare ~
Each of the four sentences in the Statement will serve as a major division in our study.
I. STATEMENT SENTENCE 1: 1. Why Not "Humanity"?
The issue revolves around the Hebrew word adam, which, until recently, was almost universally translated as man in Genesis 1:26, and Man or Adam in Genesis 5:2: Genesis 1:26: And God said, Let Us make adam in Our image, after Our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea.... Genesis 5:2: He created them male and female, and blessed them. And He called their name Adam (Man) in the day when they were created. In both scriptures, male and female corporately are called adam. In these and numerous other Hebrew scriptures, adam is used in reference to the entire human race. (Adam is also used often to refer to individual people when the designation of male or female is irrelevant to the thrust of the statement. For example, in Numbers 19:11, we read, He who touches the dead body of any man [adam] shall be unclean seven days. Of course the statement does not just refer to the bodies of dead men, but of dead women, also.) Without a doubt, then, as far as English usage is concerned, adam may be translated humanity or the human race as well as man in Genesis 1:26, and Humanity or The Human Race as well as Man or Adam in 5:2. However, a theological problem arises when people try to avoid or eliminate the translation man altogether. 2. What's the Problem? To sum up, adam is used The man and the woman were corporately called adam, and Adam was retained as the man's proper name when the woman's name was differentiated from the man's. This is understandable on at least two counts:
2. Because the man was the source of the woman, the man, not the woman, is viewed by God as the federal or representational head of the human race. This is seen in at least two ways: Even though it was Eve who was the first to sin, Adam and Eve were created by
direct acts of God, not by any evolutionary
process. (For a refutation of the Evolutionary
Fantasy, see Section II E of the author's
Evidence study. [1]) Two major differences between the Evolutionary Fantasy and the creation account are: The Hebrew for the sixth day is yom ha shi-shi' (literally, day the sixth). Dr. Fruchtenbaum writes, "The word yom or "day" by itself can refer to a long period of time, in fact, more than twenty-four hours.... However, when the word yom is used with a numeral, it can mean only twenty-four hours.... [T]he numeral following the word yom automatically limits the time period to twenty-four hours, a literal day. One would need to read evolutionary hypothesis into the text to interpret it as a longer period of time. The additional phrase evening and morning merely re-emphasizes the fact that this is limited to twenty-four hours." (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold G. Radio Manuscript # 186, "The Seven Days of Creation," San Antonio: Ariel Ministries Press. Pp. 14-15.) Man was created 1. directly from the dust of the ground, and 2. within the confines of one literal twenty-four hour day, two facts that render evolution a falsehood. Furthermore, there is no indication in Scripture that the creation account is to be interpreted any way other than literally. To round out the picture of the creation of man, God created the man to be a bipartite being, having a body and a soul. Genesis 2:7: And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. C. "MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD" 1. Image and Likeness God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. The question arises as to what the difference is between image and likeness. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (God, Image of) states, "In Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:27, the truth is declared that God created man in His own 'image' (celem), after His 'likeness' (demuth). The two ideas denote the same thing - resemblance to God." Strong's Concordance also gives resemblance as a common definition of the two words. The Hebrew words for image and likeness, then, each have as their root meaning the idea of resemblance, and mean virtually the same thing. Note that in Genesis 1:26, image and likeness are used, and in the very next verse just image is used. Image and likeness appear to be used interchangeably in Scripture, and when they are paired together as in 1:26, it is simply for emphasis. 2. Was Man's Body and Spirit Created in the Image of God? To summarize, thus far, To put the two together, God created man's spirit to resemble His own. It must be pointed out, however, that the resemblance goes only so far. God exists from eternity past, is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent, and man never has and never will resemble God in these ways. 3. How, Then, Does Man's Spirit Resemble God's? What feature or features, then, does man have in common with God that renders him alone created in God's image? Let us do a study of key features of spirit and see how they distribute across the four classes of beings that either are spirit or have a spirit. We'll discuss them and then chart them out. · Life. All beings with spirits possess life.· Emotions. It's obvious that some of the more complex forms of animals exhibit emotions. Dogs, for example, exhibit a wide variety of emotions. Angels, men and God exhibit emotions as well.· Instinct. Webster defines "instinct" as an innate, automatic impulse, in humans and animals, to satisfy basic biological needs, leading to behavior that is purposeful and directive. By this definition, animals and men possess instinct, but not angels or God, who have no biological needs.· Will. Animals may seem to possess a will, but they do not: They possess instinct. Persons possess a will, which Webster defines as the faculty or power of conscious, esp. of deliberate action. The conscious and deliberative faculties of will differ radically from the automatic impulses of instinct. Angels, men and God possess wills, but animals do not.· Intellect. Whereas animals are said to have varying degrees of intelligence, their intelligence does not rise to the level of intellect, which is the capability of dealing with concepts in the abstract. Animals do not possess intellect, but angels, men and God do.· Future Eternality. The spirits of animals are never said to have future eternality, but the spirits of angels and men are; and God who is Spirit, has future eternality.· Moral Choice. Inasmuch as animals function solely by instinct and not will, and are not endowed with intellect, they do not have the capacity to make choices based on moral convictions. God, of course, has this capacity, and men and angels were created with this capacity.· Capacity to Engage in Worship. Animals do not have the capacity for worship. Angels and men have the capacity to offer worship, and God has the capacity to receive worship.· Capacity for Communion or Fellowship in the SpiritAnimals do not have the capacity for fellowship in the Spirit either with God or with each other; and although angels appreciate the works of God (Job 38:7), and were created with the capacity to worship Him and are called "sons of God" as are men (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:6-7), Scripture never intimates that they have ever entered into communion or fellowship with God or with each other, or were intended to. Harmony with God, yes; but not fellowship with Him. Worship of God, yes; but not fellowship with Him. Not so with man. John 17:3 speaks of fellowship between believers and God, and 1 John 1:7 of fellowship among the saints. In John 17:3, Jesus prayed that those whom God had given Him would know intimate spiritual communion with the Father and with Him: that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3). The Greek word for know here is the same word used in Matthew 1:25 of the intimate conjugal union that Joseph entered into with Mary after she had borne Jesus. In 1 John 1:7, John says, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.... Let's see visually how the above attributes of spirit sort out among the four classes of beings that either have spirits or are spirits:
Only one creature was created with the capacity for communion or fellowship in the Spirit, and only one creature was said to have been created in the image of God: man. Man's capacity or potential for fellowship in the Spirit is a reflection of the divine image in that God, who is Spirit, is capable of intimate fellowship. It seems conclusive that the distinguishing feature that renders man, alone among creatures, created in the image of God is his capacity for intimate communion or fellowship in the Spirit. 5. The Purpose of the Image of God in Man It is because of man's capacity or potential to know God and one another in eternal intimate spiritual communion that God sent Messiah to die for his sins (John 3:16); and it is as man enters into Messiah at salvation, who is the uncorrupted image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15), that his capacity for intimate communion with God and other believers is activated and realized, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Colossians 3:10).
The sin of Adam consisted of breaking a direct command of God. God forbade Adam to eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and he ate (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6).
1. Physical Death 2. Spiritual Death What characterizes spiritual death is the absolute absence of fellowship with God. God warned Adam that this would happen in the day that he sinned: Genesis 2:16-17: 16. And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat of every tree in the garden, 17. but you shall not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. Adam did not die physically on the day that he sinned, but he did experience a terrifying breaking of communion with God:
The fact that spiritual death came upon the entire human race is seen by the fact that not only Adam, but Eve, as well, went into hiding from God. It is also brought out in Ephesians 2:1, in which Paul referred to the previously unsaved Ephesians as having been dead in trespasses and sins. Sin is not a physical or spiritual substance or any other kind of substance. Sin is any spiritual condition, thought, word or deed that is contrary to the moral perfection of God. B. "ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN WITH A SINFUL, CORRUPTED NATURE" Some of the clearest statements in Scripture to this effect are: · Jeremiah 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?· In Romans 7:23, Paul speaks of the law of sin being in my members.· In Ephesians 2:3, he spoke of the lusts of the flesh, and of fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts.· Galatians 5:19-21: Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication... hatreds... jealousies....Jeremiah 17:9 identifies the sin nature in the immaterial part of man. In regards to Romans 7:23, many translations, including the Analytical-Literal Translation, render members as body parts, showing that the sin nature is locked into man's very body, as well. In regards to Galatians 5:19, Albert Barnes comments, "It is evident here that the word σὰρξ sarx, 'flesh,' is used to denote corrupt human nature, and not merely the body; since many of the vices here enumerated are the passions of the mind or the soul, rather than of the body." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible). These few scriptures indicate that man's sinful, corrupted nature is universal among men, and is implanted in both body and soul. Inasmuch as man has a body and soul from the moment of conception, it is from the moment of conception that he possesses the sin nature. King David said, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5). Though the scriptures immediately following have a different focus, there are elements in them that also reinforce the points made herein. C. "AND SIN IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED" This statement is true of the believer as well as the unbeliever as the sin nature is retained in the believer even until death. In Romans 7, it is Paul the believer who speaks of the law of sin being in my members (v. 23). The believer has been given power over the sin nature, but he retains the sin nature, nevertheless. The scriptures in the preceding section focus on the sin nature itself. The following scriptures are among the many that focus on the outworking of the sin nature in man's thoughts, words and deeds. 1. All Humanity Sins Romans 2:1: Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who judges; for in that in which you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge do the same things. Roman 3:9 ...we have before charged both Jews and Greeks all with being under sin. Romans 3:23: ...all have sinned.... 2. All Jews Sin Isaiah 64:6: But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth. 3. All Gentiles Sin 4. All
Believers Sin One Christian group that the author is aware of has declared that believers are free of outward sin, but Scripture declares differently. All people sin, whether Jew or Gentile, whether Christian or non-Christian. 5. All Sin in Thought, Word and Deed
In Romans 7:18-24, Paul places himself in the hypothetical position of one who attempts to satisfy the righteous requirements of God's Law through the power of his will apart from the Spirit of God:
In reference to the sin nature, he says, in my flesh dwells no good thing (v. 18), and that because of the sin nature he is unable to perform any act that is pure and righteous: For I do not do the good that I desire; but the evil which I do not will, that I do (v. 19). By extrapolation, because of the sin nature, no man is able to perform the righteous act of choosing God's provision of redemption in Messiah Yeshua through the unaided power of his own will. In verse 24, Paul laments his pitiable condition: O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? He then answers His question in Romans 8:2: But the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that one may rise in victory over the sin nature and choose God's provision of redemption in Messiah. That is why Jesus said to Nicodemus, (John 3:5-6) 5. Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born of water and 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. And again in Titus 3:5-6: 5. not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6. whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.... Salvation is solely by means of the Spirit of God, and not by any effort that we can exert. It is the Spirit of God that fills our hearts with the faith to believe in Messiah and to choose God's provision of redemption in Him: 8. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: 9. not of works.... (Ephesians 2:8-9). And choose we must, as is implied in the exhortation, believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15). But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name.... (John 1:12). 1. Manzon, NormanA. "Evidence Upon Evidence: The Bible Is the Word of God." The Bible Study Project. The Bible Study Project Web. <http://www.biblestudyproject.org/index.htm>.
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~ SALVATION ~ 1. SALVATION IS BY FAITH IN YESHUA THE AMC STATEMENT ON SALVATION
The Bible uses the term salvation in several different senses, all of which convey the idea of rescue or deliverance and/or its results: safety, relief, blessedness. The salvation that the Statement addresses has to do with the eternal forgiveness of sins by God and its glorious results for the one so forgiven. The Statement also declares how one may attain salvation in our present church age. We will examine every detail of the Statement. Each of its five sentences will serve as a major division. The first will be addressed in this issue, and the other four in the next edition or two. Let us examine the components of this statement. Yeshua is the Hebrew name from which the English name Jesus is derived, and means Salvation. It was a common name in Yeshua's day, but it is not without significance that the name of Messiah was, and still is, Salvation. An angel of the Lord said to Joseph, And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Messiah is the English form of the Hebrew word Mashiach, which comes from the root mashach, meaning to rub with oil, that is, to anoint (Strong's Concordance). A mashiach is one so anointed with oil (Smith's Bible Dictionary). In the Old Testament, men were consecrated to kingship by the pouring of a special anointing oil over their heads (e.g., 1 Samuel 2:10). However, Daniel 9:25 prophesied of one particular Mashiach, Messiah the Prince, who was to come at exactly the time that Jesus came. Christos, rendered in English Christ, is the Greek equivalent of Mashiach, and also means anointed. Whereas in the Old Testament men were anointed by the pouring of oil, Messiah Yeshua was anointed by means of the measureless endowment of the Holy Spirit poured upon Him by God. John 3:34: For he whom God has sent, speaks the words of God; for God hath not given the Spirit by measure [to him]. The messiahship of Yeshua can be demonstrated beyond doubt through an examination of many detailed prophecies and their exact fulfillment in His life. Of the dozens of such prophecies and their fulfillment in Yeshua, a few of the naturally verifiable ones are: He would be a descendant of King David (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1 and Luke 1:31-33); He would be born in Bethlehem of Judah (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1); He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:1-17; Matthew 26:15); He would be pierced (Psalm 22:16; Matthew 27:35); His tormentors would divide his garments between them and cast lots for his vesture (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24); He would be resurrected (Psalm 16:10 and 22:22; Matthew 28:6 and 1 Corinthians 15:6). Statisticians have determined that it is a virtual impossibility for one man to fulfill even a handful of such prophecies by chance. According to Dr. Norman Geisler,
The number of electrons in the universe is a "piddling" 1 followed by 80 zeroes! Surely, any honest student of the Scriptures must conclude that Yeshua is HaMashiach, the Messiah. In the Scriptures, savior is used of earthly deliverers from earthly troubles, but also of the divine Deliverer from our sins, from the power of sin, and from all of sin's earthly and eternal penalties and curses, unto eternal salvation and the uttermost heavenly blessings. It is this latter understanding of Savior that we employ in reference to Jesus. To redeem means to buy back. When we use this term in reference to Jesus, we mean, figuratively speaking, that He bought us back from enslavement to sin, and from judgment because of sin. Ephesians 1:7: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.... Romans 8:23: And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body. These scriptures declare that: The Greek word translated faith and belief is pistis, which Strong's defines as persuasion, moral conviction, assurance, belief. The word for trust is elpidzo, meaning to expect, to have confidence in. The three terms, then, basically mean the same thing: to be persuaded of something, to hold something to be true, to have confidence in. What is belief? A man is drowning in the sea, and a lifeline is throw to him from a passing ship. The man grasps for and clings to that lifeline believing that it is his salvation. He has faith that it will hold him. He trusts in it. Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you are saved through faith.... Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. As an inquirer's understanding of the Gospel grows, he must actively exercise faith in Messiah to be saved just as the drowning man must actively reach for, grasp and cling to the lifeline. Indeed, active reception of faith may have to be encouraged or urged by the evangelist. Jesus Himself urged, Repent, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Though faith may be encouraged or urged, it is not something that can be forced. In 380 A.D., Emperor Theodosius commanded everyone in the Roman Empire to follow the faith which "Peter delivered to the Romans", and suppressed all other religions. (The Bible doesn't say that Peter delivered the faith to the Romans.) Such an approach is absurd whether it be personal evangelism or emperor evangelism. It tends to drive people away rather than attract them, and may bring long-lasting, devastating results as did Theodosius' decree. True Christian faith cannot be forced; it is a matter of the heart (Romans 10:9-10), of personal persuasion. 1. What, Exactly, Do We Need to Have Faith In? 2 Corinthians 5:21: For He [Father] has made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Jesus].
(It's the belief in the heart that saves, and the confession of the lips is the fruit and evidence of the faith that saves, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks [Matthew 12:34].) John 8:24: Jesus said to some Pharisees: For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.
2 Timothy 2:8: Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.... These essentials for belief can be derived from these scriptures:
It was the
overshadowing of the Holy Spirit upon Mary that brought about His divine conception (Son of God) and established the absolute holiness/sinlessness of His nature (Holy One). Romans 10:9 states plainly,
Jesus is Lord, which means that Jesus is God; specifically, the second Person of the Triune God. If Jesus were a mere man, sinless in nature and deed (if that were possible), His death could conceivably atone for just one sinner; but because He was God as well as a man (and still is), He was able to atone for the sins of all mankind, consistent with what John the Immerser said,
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Romans 5:10 is key to rightly dividing between the work of the cross and the work of the resurrection: For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. According to the passage, 1. the work of the cross reconciles us to God, and 2. the work of His resurrection saves those who believe. Let us first consider the work of reconciliation through
Messiah's death, and then the work of salvation by His life.
Ephesians 2:15b-16: 15b. ...in Himself He might make the two [Gentiles and Jews] into one new man, making peace between them; 16. and so that He might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity in Himself. Let's focus on three statements in these passages: So we see that two parties need to be in agreement for mutual reconciliation to take place. God did His part: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Now, the sinner must be reconciled to God by receiving God's sacrifice through faith. Now, Romans 5:10 again, which focuses on believers: For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Messiah's death reconciled us to God, rendering us savable. Then, by faith, we grabbed on to God's work of reconciliation through Messiah that we might be reconciled to God. This leads us to consider... 2) The Work of Salvation by
Messiah's Life It was the sending of the Spirit that enabled us to become temples of God by virtue of being indwelt by the Spirit (John 14:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20), to be given a divine nature and made a new creation by means of regeneration (John 3:6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:4), to be empowered for victory over sin (Romans 8:1-4), anointed for spiritual discernment and conviction of the essentials of the faith (1 Corinthians 2:12-14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:20,27), sealed for the eternal securing of our salvation (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13), and baptized by the Spirit into the
body of believers (1 Corinthians 12:13), which itself was created by the outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 2). c) Messiah's Eschatological or Future Ministries on Our Behalf If Messiah had not attained resurrection life, we who exercised faith would be in a strange fix, indeed - if we would have exercised faith in a dead Messiah, to begin with! - no Spirit outpouring, no heavenly ministries by Messiah on our behalf, no eschatological glory. But Messiah is risen. Therefore we can say, For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:10). To review from our previous study, sin is any spiritual condition, thought, word or deed that is contrary to the moral perfection of God. All people are born with a sin nature (Jeremiah 17:19; Romans 7:23; Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 5:19-21) and sin in thought, word and deed (Psalm 14:2-3; Roman 2:1, 3:9, 3:23; Isaiah 53:6, 64:6; 1 John 1:8). Sin estranges man from God (Romans 3:23) and man from man (Genesis 3:11), and has brought the curse upon the earth (Genesis 3:14-19). In short, sin is the root cause of every form and instance of misery and suffering in time and eternity. The horror of sin can but begin to be fathomed by comparing the carnage and suffering and devastation and disease and death and godlessness that so characterize this planet with the idyllic and pristine environment provided our first parents in Eden as they enjoyed unblemished and full fellowship with the Lord. But the extent to which man can appreciate the horror of sin cannot begin to be compared to the depths of such appreciation by an infinitely holy and loving omniscient God. Let's not forget that it was sin that killed His Son and isolated Him for three hours from His Father as He hung on the cross (Luke 23:44-45; Matthew 27:46). Surely, it is justifiable that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), meaning separation from God culminating in an eternity in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15). Yes, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). Upon exercising faith in Messiah, one is not only forgiven of sin, but becomes a child of God. All men are children of God by virtue of being part of God's natural creation (Acts 17:29); but upon exercising faith in Messiah, one becomes a child of God in a spiritual sense by virtue of being regenerated, born again, by the Holy Spirit: John 1:12-13: 12. But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name. 13. who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.
One becomes a spiritual child of God by virtue of being born of the Spirit, Who is God; and as a child of God he is heirs of divine blessings.
The Statement declares that one who exercises faith in Messiah is forgiven of sin and becomes a child of God immediately. One of the thieves crucified with Jesus said to Him, 42. Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom. 43. And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you shall be with Me in Paradise (Luke 23:42-43). As soon as the thief believed in Jesus he was immediately forgiven of his sins and became a child of God. The Statement also declares that this salvation is available to anyone: John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Indeed, The Lord does... not desire that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). In Revelation 3:20, Jesus offers salvation to the many apostates in the visible Laodicean church of our day: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me. (An apostate is one who has departed from the faith he professed to have, but never really did have.) "Whosoever", "any", "anyone". No matter how horrible our sins, simply having faith or belief or trust in Messiah moves God to forgive us of our sins and to absolve us of all of its penalties. Three murderers were eternally forgiven of their sins because, at some point in their lives, they exercised saving faith in Messiah: Moses (Exodus 2:12), David (2 Samuel 11:14-17) and Saul of Tarsus (Acts 7:58-8:1). "What must I do to be saved?" was the cry of the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:30). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved," was the reply of Paul and Silas."For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life ". (John 3:16)"And, brothers, I declare to you the gospel.... that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures". (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) Jesus implored His listeners,
"Believe the Gospel". So we humbly implore you. Please let me know if you've just begun to believe.
~ SALVATION ~ This is Part 2 of our study of the AMC Statement on Salvation. Each sentence of the Statement is being treated as a major division, and in detail. The first sentence was addressed in the preceding study, and sentences two through four will be addressed here. Many of the declarations and concepts that appear in sentences two through four have already been treated at length, and will be mentioned here only in passing. Please consider, then, if it might not be helpful for you to first study or review Part 1 above before proceeding with this study. Let's review the AMC Statement on Salvation, and then take a closer look at sentences two through four. THE AMC STATEMENT ON SALVATION
Some people believe that people in certain positions of privilege merit salvation by virtue of those positions; some believe that various or sufficient acts of human effort merit salvation. We'll consider these separately. A. Salvation by Virtue of Privileged Position Some hold that people in certain privileged positions merit salvation by virtue of those positions, which may be racial, familial, religious or otherwise. One of these positions is being a Jew. Another is being a member of a believing family. Another is being a member of a local assembly. There are others, and we cannot examine them all. We will look at these three, however, and it should be obvious that what the Scripture has to say about these will be applicable to all. 1. Salvation by Virtue of Being a Jew
The passage makes it very explicit that both Jews and Gentiles need to hear the Gospel and believe it in order to be saved. If one believes that all Jews are automatically saved, then they must also conclude that all Gentiles are automatically saved, for the passage says that there is no difference both of Jew or Greek in the matter of how they are saved. But the fact is, that the passage requires the hearing and the believing of the Gospel by both Jews and Gentiles for salvation. There is no way around it. It is air-tight. There is no difference both of Jew or Greek in the necessity of believing the Gospel for salvation. Jesus referred to this necessity by declaring in Matthew 7:14, the way is narrow that leads to life, and there few who find it. (The full passage is Matthew 7:13-14). How dare some who ought to know better espouse a "broader view"! It is heresy to teach it! The exclusivity of the means of salvation will be alluded to again shortly with more passages to consider. 2. Salvation by Virtue of Being a Member of a Believing Family or Household That phrase, and your household, has been a stumbling block to many, causing them to believe that if the head of the house becomes saved, all members of the household, even infants, become saved, as well. But let's look at the very next verse: And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his household. The Word of the Lord was spoken not only to the jailor, but also to all who were in his household; and all of them, believing, were baptized (verse 33). No one was saved on the coattails of another. All needed to hear the Word and believe. 3. Salvation by Virtue of Being a Visible Member of a
Local Assembly One of the Lord's parables concerning the nature of the then future Church Age was the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, in Matthew 13:24-30. The point of the parable is that not all professing believers will be true believers, and that even true believers will be incapable of distinguishing the spurious believer from the true with unfailing accuracy. If the Lord made this so clear, how can any church be so arrogant as to claim that all who join it will be saved! It is outrage. It causes many to believe that they are saved when they are not. To sum up the points of the last two paragraphs: To sum up this section, neither being Jewish, nor being a member of a believing household, nor being a visible member of a denomination or local assembly suffices for salvation. Believing the Gospel is the only ticket to ride. B. Salvation Merited by Human Effort Some hold that various human acts merit salvation. Among them are the keeping of the Mosaic Law, water baptism, partaking of the Lord's Supper, acts of penance, performing a greater weight of good deeds than bad. But Scripture is very clear in this matter: Romans 3:28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law. Ephesians 2:8-9. 8. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, 9. not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Grace means undeserved and unmerited favor. We cannot do anything to deserve or merit salvation. A gift by its very nature must be freely offered and may not be purchased by the recipient. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone. To sum up, neither earthly position nor works of the Law nor good or penitential deeds suffice for salvation, but only grace through faith.
The Bible is clear on the exclusivity of the way of salvation: Yeshua said to a crowd of listeners,
To His disciple Thomas He said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me (John 14:6). And to some Pharisees, For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins (John 8:24). Though all of these declarations apply to all people, it so happens that they were all made by Jews to Jews, one of the speakers being Yeshua Himself. As has been mentioned, some believe that merely being Jewish is sufficient for salvation. Obviously, this is contrary to Scripture. It is a very grave and dangerous error, and it is heretical to teach it. One is not saved by being born Jewish or by following any form of rabbinic Judaism or any other religion or philosophy. One is saved only by faith in the atoning death and resurrection of Yeshua HaNotzri, Yeshua the Nazarene; Yeshua HaMashiach, Yeshua the Messiah. Note how a line is drawn between Jews who received Him and Jews who did not: He came to His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name (John 1:11-12).For fuller coverage of issues concerning Jewish salvation, see the author's study, Messianic Issues in Jewish Salvation. Messiah declared that the road to salvation runs only through Him. A narrow way, indeed, but that should not be surprising. All of nature is narrow. Precise and inflexible natural laws control our digestion or indigestion, a successful flight to the moon or a disaster. It should not be surprising, therefore, that spiritual laws are precise and inflexible, as well; nor should it be surprising that a loving and caring Creator has made known to us, whom He created in His likeness and image, the precise rules and principles we need to follow for our own blessed good and for the blessedness of our earthly and heavenly relationships. Nor should it be thought odd that breakers of the rules should be penalized. In civil societies it is understood that "if you do crime, you do time." We are relieved when murderers and rapists are judged and sentenced. It should not be thought odd, therefore, that God requires the same for sinners in His court of justice. Understanding these things lays the foundation for our acceptance of the fact that God, who is love (1 John 4:8,16), offered His sinless Son on the cross to satisfy divine justice in our stead, freeing us to receive forgiveness of sins and entry into the blessedness He always desired for us. For He [Father] has made Him [Yeshua] who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Yeshua] (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Many of the concepts in this statement have been addressed already. We will now address those that have not. Why shed blood? In Leviticus 17:11, God said, For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. In the Hebrew Scriptures, atone means to cover. From Adam until Yeshua animal sacrifice was required by God to atone for sin. Those sacrifices did not remove sin from the sinner's account (Hebrews 10:4), but when offered in faith (Habakkuk 2:4), they "covered" the offerer's sin. This means that the offerer's sin, though remaining on his account, would not be held against him; but that when the Son of God would come and shed His blood on the altar of the cross, the sinner's sins would be uncovered and removed from his account, having been paid for by Yeshua. Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission. Ephesians 1:7: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.... Righteousness has the meaning of right standing before God. Only One is in right standing before God by virtue of holiness of nature and sinlessness of thought, word and deed, and that One is Yeshua. No mortal born of two human parents is righteous before God in either nature or thought, word or deed, for as Isaiah said (64:6a), But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth. Only those mortals who are in Messiah are in right standing before God, and it's by virtue of Messiah's righteousness, not their own. The sins of the world were imputed (transferred and reckoned) to Yeshua' account, and He died to pay the penalty for them. When we believe, the righteousness of God in Yeshua is imputed to our account, placing us in right standing before God. But of Him [God the Father] you are in Messiah Yeshua, who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are still sinners experientially and in our natures, but in terms of our legal standing before God we are as righteous as Yeshua is, For as by one man's [Adam's] disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One [Yeshua] shall the many be made righteous (Romans 5:19). For He [Father] has made Him [Yeshua] who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Yeshua] (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our Statement says that we are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood alone. Leviticus 17:11, Once again: For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. And in the New Testament: To the One loving us and having bathed us from our sins in His blood (Revelation 1:5b). It's because of the shedding of Yeshua's blood unto death on the altar of the cross that God's righteousness could be imputed to the accounts of those who believe. Thus, the shed blood of Yeshua alone is the basis of salvation. There is no other. D. "Declared Righteous": Justification Our Statement says that we are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood alone. Being declared righteous by God is an important aspect of salvation that is identified in Scripture as justification. We will first examine the doctrine, then reconcile certain of James' statements with it, and then view its interplay with the dynamics of reconciliation. 1. The Doctrine of Justification This begs the question that Job asked: How then can man be justified with God? Or how can one who is born of a woman be clean (Job 25:4)? Great question, Job! We've answered it repeatedly, but we'll consider the question again through the lens of justification. We'll take a look at some scriptures which I've arranged in a developmental sequence, and then bring the various concepts together in a couple of summary and explanatory paragraphs: Job 9:20. If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; though I am perfect, He shall declare me perverse. Job declared correctly that his own testimony could not justify him before God. Isaiah 53:11. He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His self-knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify for many; and He shall bear their iniquities. In this passage, Isaiah prophesied that Messiah, knowing full well who He is and what His mission will be, will bring justification to many by bearing their iniquities. Romans 4:25. ... who was delivered because of our offenses and was raised up because of our justification. Messiah was delivered to the cross because of our offenses, and was subsequently raised from the dead because the work which He accomplished that enabled our justification had been completed. Act 13:39. And by Him [Yeshua] all who believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses. Galatians 3:11. But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is clear, for, "The just shall live by faith." The quote that Paul is employing is from Habakkuk 2:4. It reveals that even Old Testament Israelites could not be justified by the works of the Law no matter how meticulously they kept it (which they were required to do), but by faith alone. Romans 3:28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law. Romans 3:24. ...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua; Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Romans 5:9. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Titus 3:7. ... that being justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Now, to pull it all together: No one can stand justified before God on the basis of any human testimony or defense. The ground of one's justification must be the shed blood of Messiah, who died for our iniquities and was raised up because His sacrificial work that made our justification possible had been accomplished. Human courts deal with matters of crime. God's court deals with sin. There have been cases in human courts where an innocent party voluntarily took the punishment due a guilty party, and the guilty party was declared free. Similarly, in God's court, Messiah was punished for the ungodly, and by virtue of the sinner's faith in Messiah's atoning work he is justified (declared forensically righteous), meaning that he is pardoned of the need to bear any of the condemnation or punishment for his sin, and is free to enjoy all of the privileges of one not condemned and sentenced. It is by God's grace that He justifies the believing sinner. Strict adherence to the Law of Moses never justified anyone, nor could it. Only faith could justify. One justified in Messiah is in a state of peace with God, is saved from all aspects of God's wrath, and is heir of all that eternal life entails. 2. James, Justification and Works And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way (2:25)? However, the preceding passage puts those questions in context:
There are two keys to understanding this passage: Now to apply these observations to the questions regarding Abraham and Rahab: James is not saying that Abraham and Rahab were justified by their good works apart from faith, but that their good works were the outgrowth of their underlying faith, and were evidence of their justification on the basis of their faith. 3. Reconciliation and Justification To review the interplay of the two concepts in sequence: Stages two through four have been presented in logical sequence, but in actuality they occur simultaneously. There is no gap of time at all between the sinner's exercise of faith and his justification before God. As soon as the sinner exercises faith he stands justified before God. IV. The Relationship Between Salvation and Works We have seen that good works do not, nor ever did, save. Nevertheless, they are commended and exhorted throughout Scripture. What, then, is the relationship between salvation and good works?
Verse 8 tell us that salvation is through faith, and verse 9, that good works have no bearing on salvation. The phrases we are His workmanship and created in Messiah Yeshua are akin to the concepts of being born again (John 3:3,7; 1:Peter 1:23) and of being made new creations in Messiah (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) - all conveying the work of regeneration - and verse 10 tells us that we are created in Messiah Yeshua for good works. We are not saved by good works. We are saved to do good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. We are each saved to glorify God through particular good works that He has ordained for each of us to do. Let us walk in them for the Savior, who walked to Calvary for us. Selah.
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
"What must I do to be saved?" was the cry of the Philippian jailor. (Acts 16:30)"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved," was the reply of Paul and Silas. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life " (John 3:16)."And, brothers, I declare to you the gospel.... that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus implored His listeners, Believe the Gospel. So we humbly implore you. Please let me know if you've just begun to believe. The Narrow Way ~ ~ SALVATION ~ This is Part 3 of our study of the AMC Statement on Salvation. All but the last sentence has been examined already; we'll be examining it here. Let's being with the entire Statement: THE AMC STATEMENT ON SALVATION
Here is the last sentence, the focus of this study:
Many passages of Scripture support the belief that once a person has attained salvation he can never lose it. There are also many scriptures that appear to support the position that once a person has attained salvation he can lose it. Two issues are at stake: So let us turn to the Scriptures and see what they say. We will first examine various passages that support eternal security, and then some that appear to support conditional security. B. PASSAGES THAT SUPPORT ETERNAL SECURITY We'll begin by using the AMC's declaration as a framework. "All Believers Are Kept Eternally Secure" What is meant by eternal security is that no believer will ever lose his salvation no matter what, but will possess it for all eternity. Jude 1:1: Jude, a servant of Messiah Yeshua, and brother of James, to the ones called in God the Father, having been set apart, and having been kept [by, or for, or in] Messiah Yeshua: Also, 1 Peter 1:5: believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. The general meaning of the term is self-evident, but two things must be noted:
It is the great and mighty power of God that keeps our salvation secure, not feeble and faltering human effort. Can there be any insecurity when guarded by almighty God? The new birth produces the new creation in Messiah Yeshua (2 Corinthians 5:17). A naturally born baby is born of corruptible seed, and will die because of the transmittal of the sin nature through that seed; but one regenerated in Messiah is born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever (1 Peter 1:23). He will never die spiritually because he is born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. According to Galatians 4:6, the Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment of salvation: And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. According to John 14:16, the Spirit abides in the believer forever: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.... If the Spirit abides in the believer from the moment of salvation until the end of eternity, then there is not a moment of time in which he is not indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Can a believer indwelt by the Spirit - and the Spirit within him - be cast into Hell? Will God cast Himself into Hell? "And Sealing of the Holy Spirit." 2 Corinthians 1:22 says, And He [God] has sealed us and having given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Also, Ephesians 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption. And Ephesians 1:13-14:
The Holy Spirit seals the believer in Messiah until the day of redemption, which is the resurrection or translation of the body at the rapture. The Spirit sees to it that the believer will never fall out, break out, or be kidnapped from being in Messiah. The Spirit is also the earnest, the down payment, that God has placed on us until He takes us home, body and soul, to be with Him on that day. C. FURTHER SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT FOR ETERNAL SECURITY 1. The Believer Has Died to the Law, and Can No Longer Be Judged by the Law
Galatians 2:19-20: 19. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20. I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live.... These passages bring out the following: 2. Sanctification and Spiritual Growth Will Be Carried Forth to Completion Also, 1 Corinthians 1:8: He [God] shall also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Messiah Yeshua. 3. Yeshua's Definitive Statements Concerning Those Who Believe in Him
John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My Word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.
In none of the above declarations is eternal life presented as probationary. Quite the contrary:
If we can believe Yeshua, then we can believe what He stated emphatically in different ways, that the believer will never ever perish. Also, Hebrews 7:25: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. The very purpose that Yeshua intercedes for us is that we may be saved to the uttermost. The Literal Translation of the Holy Bible renders to the uttermost as to the end completely. That ought to be "uttermost" enough for anyone. For Messiah has not entered into the Holy of Holies made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:24). 5. The Assurances of Romans 8 Romans 8 continues in the train of that worshipful exclamation, extolling the assurance of the salvation that is in Messiah. Here are some of the highlights: 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua.... 2. for the Law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has made me free from the law of sin and death. The believer will not be eternally condemned even though he still sins, for he has been set free from the law of God that demands eternal death because of sin, For He [the Father] has made Him [Yeshua] who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Yeshua] (2 Corinthians 5:21). 15. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father! We need no longer fear eternal judgment. We have been adopted into the family of God. 29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. God has predestined the elect to be conformed to the image of His Son. Can the predestination of God be undone even by the elect themselves? Not a chance in eternity! That is why Paul said so emphatically,
Nothing and no one in all of eternity - not even the believer himself - will be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. II. PASSAGES THAT APPEAR TO SUPPORT CONDITIONAL SECURITY By conditional security is meant that believers retain eternal life only upon meeting certain conditions or avoiding others. This position does not necessarily hold that the power of God is not involved in the retention of eternal life, but that God may withdraw His keeping power if the believer does not meet those conditions. (We have already seen that believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [1 Peter 1:5]). Surely a more appropriate term than conditional security can be found, as the term is an oxymoron. How can one's salvation be secure this side of heaven if it is conditional? Nonetheless, this observation neither proves nor disproves what the Bible says on the matter. Louis Sperry Chafer declared, "As many as eighty-five passages are listed by those holding the Arminian view as establishing the doctrine of conditional security" (Major Bible Themes, p. 220. See endnotes). We are not going to examine eighty-five passages! but we will examine those that seem to be the strongest and most commonly used; but first a word about human observation and judgment. It is not only the apparent meaning of certain passages that cause many to believe in conditional security, but also observation and experience. Many of us have known people who seemed to be zealous for the Lord and then forsook Him, plunging headlong into a life of sin. It is these kinds of observations that have caused many to conclude that a believer can lose or throw away his salvation. However, it cannot be stated emphatically enough that human observation or experience must never be used to determine Biblical truth. The Scriptures are given to judge our observations and experiences, not the reverse! Our interpretations of our observations and experiences are often faulty, incomplete, biased, or just plain wrong. It is precisely because the Word of God is infallible and unbiased that it, and it alone, must be the light and the standard by which we judge and interpret our observations and experiences. We have already examined passages that uphold the doctrine of eternal security. Let us now examine passages that appear to uphold conditional security. A. Believers Must Endure to the End to be Saved Yeshua said to His disciples, But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13). The verse seems to say that believers who do not endure to the end of their lives spiritually will lose their salvation. The problem is, the verse is not referring to believers at all, nor even to eternal salvation. Verses 3, 14 and 15 show that the context is the Great Tribulation, and verses 15 and 16, in particular, indicate that Yeshua is referring to Jews. Zechariah 13:8-9 and Ezekiel 20:38 state that, during that terrible time of "Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7), the Great Tribulation, God will kill the rebels of Israel, who will constitute two-thirds of the nation, by the armies of Antichrist; and that the one-third remaining, those receptive to spiritual truth, will endure unto the end of the Great Tribulation - physically - by the protection of God. They will then be saved spiritually by the sovereign outpouring of the Spirit among them (Zechariah 12:10; 13:1). The verse cannot be used to support conditional security. It has to do with unbelievers enduring physically, not believers enduring in their faith or in the quality of their walk. B. Believers Who Do Not Abide in Messiah John 15:6 is often interpreted as meaning that believers who do not abide in Messiah will be cast into Hell. Let's examine the verse.
Yeshua is teaching his disciples by means of allegory. The purpose of an allegory is to make a main point, and caution must be exercised in interpreting the details. The point that Yeshua is making is that His disciples need to abide in Him for fruitfulness; and we must beware the pitfalls of assuming that the branch cast into the fire means that the unfruitful believer will be cast into Hell, and that the exhortation to abide in Him means that he needs to hold on to his salvation by continuing in fruitfulness. One sound hermeneutical principle is that the unclear needs to be studied in the light of the clear. The figure of the branch cast into the fire must be studied in the light of a clear declaration of some other passage dealing with the issue of fruitlessness. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 is just such a passage:
The passage makes it plain that the believer who leads a fruitless life will receive no reward; yet, he will still be saved. Therefore, the figure of the branch cast into the fire cannot refer to an unfruitful believer being cast into Hell. It may simply emphasize the ministerial worthlessness of a fruitless believer. By extension, the exhortation to abide in Yeshua cannot mean that the believer needs to continually exercise his will to remain saved. It must mean that he needs to avail himself of those means that the Lord has provided him for fruitfulness: prayer (Acts 4:39), meditation in His Word (2 Timothy 3:16), trust (Proverbs 3:5; Matthew 28:18), and action (Matthew 28:19-20). C. The Believer May Become a Castaway or Reject In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul says, But I beat my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. The word translated castaway in the King James is rendered disqualified or rejected or disapproved in other translations. Here, again, some say that the passage shows that a believer may lose his salvation; but what is Paul actually saying? Once again, we'll look at the verse in context:
Paul is comparing his solemn charge to preach the Gospel to running in a race or fighting in a boxing match in which only one receives the prize. His reference is to the earning of rewards, the incorruptible rewards of the gold, silver, and precious stones of 1 Corinthians 3:12, not the retention of salvation. He disciplines his body and makes it his slave so that he would not be like the loser in an athletic contest who does not win the prize. To become a castaway or reject, then, in the context of one who believes, has nothing to do with the loss of salvation, but the loss of rewards. D. The Believer Can Fall from Grace The concept of falling from grace is found in Galatians 5:1-4:
Some interpret falling from grace as loss of salvation; but a look at the very next verse renders that interpretation invalid: 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness out of faith. The ones who fell from grace are among those who are waiting through the Spirit. Now, it is impossible for an unsaved person to do anything through the Spirit as he does not have the Spirit. Therefore, those who fell from grace are still saved, and falling from grace must mean something other than the loss of salvation. What does it mean? Verses 1 and 2 juxtapose the freedom that is in Messiah with the bondage of being under the Law, and verse 2 declares that those believers who place themselves under the Law as requisite for justification have fallen from grace; they no longer depend solely on the grace of God for their justification, but include the keeping of the Law. To the extent that they have placed themselves under the Law they have placed themselves under a merit system, the polar opposite of the grace of God. In that sense, and in that sense only, have they fallen from grace. The passage is not speaking of the loss of salvation, but the placing of oneself under the merit system of the Law while yet saved. E. If a Believer Dies with Unconfessed Sin, This idea comes from a misunderstanding of 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Some also misunderstand the verse as being an evangelistic call to unbelievers. However, 2:1 makes it clear to whom John is speaking, and also declares that the sinning believer has a safety net beneath him in the heavenly advocacy of Yeshua on his behalf: My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Messiah Yeshua the righteous. John is writing to believers as only they have an Advocate with the Father. As has been shown, the Advocacy of Yeshua on behalf of the sinning believer assures his salvation. Therefore, even if a believer dies without having confessed some of his sins - and who could know or remember them all! - his salvation will hold secure. The confession that John is encouraging here is not confession for salvation; confession for salvation requires only the confession of Yeshua as Lord (Romans 10:9), not the confession of sins. The confession that John is encouraging is for the restoration of quality fellowship with the Lord and for continued sanctification. F. If a Believer Dies in Unforgiveness Toward Others, This conviction stems from a misunderstanding of Matthew 6:15: but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Unforgiveness is a sin, and Messiah died for all sins, past, present and future (Acts 3:19; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:28). Here, again, the Lord is speaking of the quality of one's relationship with his Father. If one bears unforgiveness in his heart toward a neighbor, then the Lord will withhold the blessing of quality fellowship from him, not eternal life. G. When a Believer Adopts an Extremely Sinful This matter has been addressed in the introductory remarks to this section, but we need to look at the possible situations of such a person, and there are two: The latter situation is the case of the Corinthian man who had illicit relations with his father's wife (1 Corinthians 5). We know that he was a believer, for if he wasn't, Paul would not have been able to deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (to be put to death either by progressive degeneration or an instant blow) as he would already have been in the hands of Satan for that purpose pending the command of the Lord (Hebrews 2:14). It is Yeshua who normally puts believers to death (Revelation 1:18); 1 Thessalonians 4:14 speaks of believers who have fallen asleep through Yeshua. It is because the man was already saved and in the hands of Yeshua for death in due time that Paul was able to deliver him to Satan. Did the man lose his salvation? No. Paul brought extreme discipline upon the man so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua (15:5). It was a work that only the Lord could authorize, and we can trust that, even as He authorized this extreme measure to sustain the salvation of the man even had he not repented, He will do whatever is necessary to sustain the salvation of even His most sinful followers. H. The Soul that Sins Shall Die That statement and others like it are found in Ezekiel 18: These statements have caused many to believe that believers who commit serious sin or plunge into persistently sinful lifestyles will be condemned to eternal death; but let's examine the chapter. In every case, the word used for soul is nephesh. In English, soul is normally equated with the immaterial part of a person. However, there are a good many instances in the Tanach (Old Testament) in which the death of the nephesh refers to the death of the physical person. Joshua 11:11: And they struck every nephesh in it with the edge of the sword, destroying them. And he left none breathing. Obviously, swords were used to kill breathing bodies. It is clear, then, that the killing of the souls in Ezekiel 18 could easily refer to the physical killing of people. But was that actually the case? According to Charles Ryrie's introduction to the Book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel's ministry was to keep before the exiles the sins which had brought God's judgment on them... (The Ryrie Study Bible). The Babylonian exile was a national, temporal, earthly judgment. Chapter 9 prophesied the slaying of Jerusalem's inhabitants, and chapter 22:13-22 prophesied the eschatological scattering of Israel and subsequent judgment upon her in Jerusalem; both of them temporal and earthly judgments. The point is that chapter 18 is bathed in the context of temporal, earthly judgment, not eternal judgment. The chapter contains lists of good deeds which, if people will do, they will live. Similarly, there are lists of evil deeds which, if people will do, they will die. The context of earthly judgment renders it almost certain that the death referred to throughout the chapter is temporal, physical death, not eternal death. Those who sin will die physically because of their sins. Those who do righteously or turn from their sins will live physically. Such judgment had already occurred in Israel as can be seen in the account of Korah's rebellion against Moses. Those who sided with Korah were killed by the LORD; those who sided with Moses were spared (Numbers 16). To sum up, thus far, These points render it rather certain that the death referred to in the chapter is physical, not eternal; but now let's look at the passage that controls the discourse of the entire chapter.
The people were complaining that they were suffering because of their fathers, to which God replied through the prophet, ...the soul that sinneth, it shall die (v. 4). What kind of suffering were they complaining about? Certainly not the suffering of eternal punishment. They were still alive! Furthermore, never in Scripture is one condemned to eternal punishment because of the sins of another or of a previous generation. The sufferings they complained about must therefore refer to their sufferings as a conquered and captive people, which included the slaughter of many of their brethren, and will perhaps include some of them. All talk of death in the chapter refers to physical death, not eternal. Therefore, none of the death verses in the chapter supports conditional security. I. If a Sinner is Saved through Faith, Then He Can 1 Peter 1:5 says that believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. We have seen that this means that God guards, secures, keeps the believer saved until he is home with the Lord in Heaven; but the verse also tells us how God keeps the believer secure: by sustaining saving faith in the believer's heart. God keeps us through faith just as He saved us through faith (Ephesians 2:8). The one who is saved through faith can never lose saving faith because God sustains it. A question arises here: It is the believer who must exercise saving faith, not God. How, then, does a sovereign God sustain faith in a believer through faith who must continually exercise it of his own free will? The answer is, the same way He saves a person through faith. In John 6:44, Jesus said, No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. God draws a person to Jesus, and that person exercises faith unto salvation of his own free will. Once the person is saved, the Spirit and the Son intercede for him unto the sustaining of his faith. In Romans 8, in which Paul states so emphatically and in so many ways that the believer will never be eternally condemned or separated from the love of God, he says in verses 26-27,
Our weaknesses must, of necessity, include every vulnerability imaginable through which we could lose faith or desire to throw it away. The verses, then, tell us that the Spirit intercedes for us so that we would not lose faith. Adam Clark comments on the verses thus: "Our Lord makes intercession for us, by negotiating and managing, as our friend and agent, all the affairs pertaining to our salvation" (Adam Clark's Commentary on the Bible). The Spirit's intercession for us guarantees that we will never lose faith; and if we will never lose faith, we will never lose salvation. As if that is not enough, the Son's intercession for us guarantees the same. This is illustrated beautifully in the case of Peter, which we will now look at. J. If Confessing the Lord Saves, then Denying This issue is really a subset of what we have just considered. If God has saved a person through faith, He will sustain his salvation through faith no matter what may proceed from his lips. What did the Lord tell Peter before his threefold denial (Matthew 26:69-74)? 31. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32. But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not. And when you are converted, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22:31-32). If one sees this as saving faith that the Lord prayed for, then He kept it secure via his intercession. If one sees it as faith for continued service, sometimes called living faith, then the loss of saving faith is not an issue, as faith for service cannot exist except on the foundation of saving faith. Whichever the case, Peter's denial did not constitute a loss of saving faith for even a moment. He never became unsaved. What, then, did Jesus mean by when you are
converted? Peter already had faith, which is why the Lord could
pray that it fail not. Peter's conversion,
then, had to do with his transformation from one who runs from trouble, as he
did when he denied the Lord three times (Matthew 26:69-74), to one who stands
strong in the face of persecution, as he did in Acts 4:18-20 and 5:27-29. K. The Believer May Commit a Sin Unto Death The sin unto death is referred to in 1 John 5:16: If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: Here, too, is a verse that some interpret to mean that a believer can lose his salvation. What is the sin unto death? As we have seen, 1 Corinthians 5 tells of a church member who was living in fornication with his father's wife. He had rejected the preliminary steps of local body discipline, and now, in verse 5, Paul instructs the local body to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua. The sin unto death, then, is refusal to accept the preliminary steps of local body discipline in such serious matters as described in 1 Corinthians 5, placing the offender in jeopardy of being delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. What are we to see here? The man did repent (2 Corinthians 2:5-8); but supposing he did not. Satan would have killed him (destroyed his flesh), but his spirit would have been saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua. His salvation would have remained secure in the Lord despite his lack of repentance. The sin unto death is a sin unto physical death, not eternal death. No believer can commit a sin unto eternal death. L. The Believer May Commit the Unpardonable Sin/ Yeshua declared,
Blasphemy is insulting, vilifying or showing contempt for God. This statement has caused some to believe that a believer can lose his salvation by blaspheming the Spirit. What about the phrase, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come (v. 32)? The Hebrew that Yeshua used for world to come was olam haba, which is the rabbinic phrase for the Messianic (Millennial) Kingdom, a phrase that this author heard often as a boy from the lips of rabbis. This meaning is also brought out by Strong's Concordance. Strong shows that the Greek word for world is aion, which is properly an age... specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future). The unforgiveness that Yeshua spoke about had nothing to do with eternal unforgiveness, but of unforgiveness in regards to the Messianic Kingdom. Because of the nation's blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom would not be established at that time (in this age), nor would they be alive to see it in the age to come;" but instead, declared Yeshua, 38. Behold, your house is left to you desolate. 39. For I say to you, You shall not see Me from now on until you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 23:38-39). Their house (temple) was to be destroyed (70 A.D.), and the nation would not see Him again until they receive Him as Messiah, at which time He will return and establish His kingdom. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was the national sin of Israel attributed and attributable only to that generation (Matthew 23:36), and it is not a sin attributable to individuals. An unbeliever named Saul of Tarsus was part of the nation at that time, and yet, the Lord forgave and saved him (Acts 9:4-6). As blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a national sin and not attributable to individuals, it is impossible for an individual to lose his salvation by committing it: He cannot commit it. M. The Warning Passages of The Book of Hebrews A number of passages in the Book of Hebrews certainly do seem to say that believers can lose their salvation. Here, perhaps, are the two most convincing:
Once again, let's look at the passages in their historical and biblical contexts. The letter was written to Jewish believers in Jerusalem during the Roman siege prior to the judgment of 70 A.D. Concerning that judgment, Yeshua warned and instructed His disciples, 20. And when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that its destruction has come. 21. And let those in Judea flee to the mountains. And those in its midst, let them go out (Luke 21:20-21). His followers were not to remain in the city, but to flee. This proved to be a tremendous test on two fronts. The first was the pressure put on all Jewish believers in the Land, through persecution, to forsake Yeshua and return to rabbinic Judaism. The second was the expectation of all Jerusalem Jews by the Zealots, who were in control, to join the armed resistance against Rome. The believers had no qualms about fighting the Romans, but the Lord did tell them to flee; so here they were, caught in the middle. The Book of Hebrews was written to strengthen their resolve to obey the Lord; to not return to rabbinic Judaism, but to flee to the mountains. Every warning of judgment in the Book had to do with the impending judgment of 70 A.D., not with eternal judgment. If they remained and returned to rabbinic Judaism, they would be slaughtered. If they made a clean break with it and fled, their lives would be spared. The Book had its intended effect. In the Lord's providence, He opened a window of time for obedience. In 66 A.D., the Romans lifted the siege as they needed their troops elsewhere. The Jerusalem believers fled across the Jordan to the mountains, and found refuge in Pella. In 68 A.D., the Romans resumed the siege and, in 70 A.D., destroyed the city and the Temple with a great slaughter. None of the warnings of judgment in the Book of Hebrews had to do with eternal judgment, but with physical judgment. The repentance in the Hebrews 6 passage had nothing to do with repentance unto salvation, but with repentance unto obedience to the Lord's command to flee; and no more a sacrifice for sins was a reference to the Mosaic Law under which there were certain sins, such as, adultery and murder, for which no sacrifice could be offered, but which necessarily incurred capital punishment. No more a sacrifice for sins also had a more immediate reference in that not even the Lord's crucifixion would save them from physical judgment for disobedience, but that they would need to pay with their physical, not spiritual, lives. None of the Hebrews passages, therefore, support the idea that a believer could lose his salvation. We examined what seem to be the strongest and most commonly used passages in support of conditional security, and saw that not a single one stands the test of hermeneutical scrutiny. We also saw definitive declarations of eternal security, and explanations of various ways that the Lord keeps His believers secure. We have discovered no evidence that Scripture contradicts itself, and can rest assured in the trustworthiness of all that it truly says, such as, I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish. (John 10:28) The believer need not serve the Lord for fear of losing his salvation, but for joy in the salvation that is eternally his by the grace of God. As it says of Yeshua, for the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). Let us so serve Him!
~ SALVATION ~ 4. WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? "What must I do to be saved?" was the cry of the Philippian jailor. (Acts 16:30)"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved," was the reply of Paul and Silas. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life " (John 3:16)."And, brothers, I declare to you the gospel.... that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus implored His listeners, "Believe the Gospel". So we humbly implore you. Please let me know if you've just begun to believe.
~ ~ SALVATION ~
5.
CONTEMPORARY DOCTRINAL ISSUES
INTRODUCTION
The Purpose of This Study Which Salvation Are We Dealing With? I. THE SALVATION OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL AS A WHOLE A. IS THE SALVATION OF THE ENTIRE JEWISH NATION GUARANTEED? Is the salvation of all Jewish people who ever lived and ever will live guaranteed by Scripture? Some theological background is in order here:
Simply put, because of certain covenants that God has made with Israel, some in the church at large, and perhaps in the Messianic community, teach that the salvation of all Jewish people who ever lived and ever will live is guaranteed.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you compass sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (Matthew 23:15)
Only a remnant, a minority, of Israelites of both Elijah's day and of New Testament times will be saved. A majority, then, will remain unsaved. It is worth highlighting So it is at the present time. The present time is the Church Age, in which we live. Only a minority of Jewish people alive today are guaranteed salvation. God has made various promises to the nation of Israel as a whole, but He has never promised that all Israelites of all ages will be saved. B. What, Then, Did Paul Mean WHEN HE SAID, And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is My covenant with them, when I have taken away their sins." (Romans 11:26-27) Ezekiel 20:37-38: And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. And I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who sin against Me.
God will first purge out Israel's rebels and sinners, two-thirds of the nation, by means of death. They will obviously die unsaved, and only the remaining one-third will God bring into the bond of the New Covenant and call them, My people. It is at this point in history - and at no previous point - that all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). II. THE SALVATION OF INDIVIDUAL JEWS A. THE SALVATION OF INDIVIDUAL JEWS
Today we are under the New Covenant, and salvation of individual Jewish people under the New Covenant is clearly conditional.
B. WHAT IS THE CONTENT OF BELIEF IN THE SON?
The Scriptures make it clear that God sent Jesus to be crucified unto death to pay the penalty of our sins, that God resurrected Him bodily, and that only through faith in Messiah's sacrificial death and resurrection will the sins of any Jew or any other person be forgiven unto eternal life. He must repent from disbelief in Messiah to belief in Messiah. John the Immerser said to a crowd of Jewish listeners, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God draws near. Repent, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Here's the Gospel, the Good News, in a nutshell:
In order for a Jew to be saved he must believe that Jesus died for his sins, that He was buried, and that He rose bodily from the dead. The exclusivity of this way was emphasized by Peter in his address to an audience of Jewish listeners: And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). C. COROLLARY ISSUE 1: IS IT BIBLICAL Those who believe that Jews are guaranteed salvation by some (imaginary) promise that God has made to them naturally repudiate all preaching of the gospel to them. This position is easily refuted not only by the preaching ministries of Jesus, Paul, Peter and other apostles, but by this clear declaration of Paul:
According to Paul, both Gentile and Jew must be saved in exactly the same way: by believing in Jesus and calling upon His name. But how, Paul asks, can they believe and call upon Him if they do not hear the gospel? He then provides the answer: the sending of preachers - and the sending of preachers to Jews, as well as to Gentiles, is regarded - not as an affront - but as a thing of beauty! D. COROLLARY ISSUE 2: IS THE KEEPING OF THE LAW OF MOSES Some in the Messianic community appear to believe that faith in Yeshua (Jesus) plus the keeping of the Law are necessary for salvation. The issue of the means of salvation has already been addressed, but this issue must be addressed directly. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). [He] abolished in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances (Ephesians 2:15).
For truly there is a putting away of the commandment which went before, because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it. (Hebrews 7:18) 1. Neither the Abrahamic, Mosaic or New Covenant, nor anything other than faith in Yeshua's sacrifice and resurrection guarantees the salvation of any Jew. "What must I do to be saved?" was the cry of the Philippian jailor. (Acts 16:30)"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved," was the reply of Paul and Silas. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life " (John 3:16)."And, brothers, I declare to you the gospel.... that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Yeshua implored His listeners, "Believe the Gospel". So we humbly implore you. Please let me know if you've just begun to believe. Contemporary Doctrinal Issues
~
PLEASE NOTE: The studies in this compendium are copied from Shofars 1 - 52. Updates to this Compendium have been discontinued and not all Shofar studies by the author are in the Compendium. For links to all studies by the author, please go to the most up-to-date Library page (of Shofar 53) and find the author's studies under "NORMAN MANZON."
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Norman Manzon is a Bible teacher in Hawaii
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