Strong Meat For The Spiritually Maturing Christian

TOC

STRONG MEAT FOR

THE SPIRITUALLY MATURING CHRISTIAN

By Dr. Gary Michael Epping

Antelope Hill Publications

Smashwords Edition

Copyright: 2008

2nd Edition: 2012

All rights reserved by Gary Michael Epping

ISBN: 9781476095523

Licensing notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy.

Other books by Dr. G. Michael Epping

*A Revolution From Darkness To Light

*Spiritual Stirrings Of The Awakening

*Pathways Into The Glory & Out Into The World

*Strong Meat For The Spiritually Maturing Christian

*The Great Doctrinal Divide That Separates God’s People

*Daily Readings On The Obedience Of Man & God’s Blessing

*Releasing Great Grace And Great Power

*The Last Days Omission

*Birth Pangs Of The Tribulation (Part 1)

*Tribulation Rising (Part 2)

*Unfolding of the Great Tribulation (Part 3)

Table Of Contents

Title

Note From The Author

Preface

1st Foreword

2nd Foreword

PART 1 MAN:

GROWTH AND MINISTRY

CHAPTER 1 - BASIC ELEMENTS

CHAPTER 2 - LAY MINISTRY

CHAPTER 3 - BECOMING A MINISTER

PART II GOD:

THE HOLY TRINITY

CHAPTER 4 - THE FATHER

CHAPTER 5 - THE SON

CHAPTER 6 - THE HOLY SPIRIT

CHAPTER 7 - A TRIUNE THEOLOGY

APPENDIX - COUNSELING

Endnotes

Bibliography

End

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Note From The Author

Dr. Gary Michael Epping Ph.D. received Bachelor and Graduate degrees in Business Administration, and was a University Professor for twenty-five years. During that time, he taught and published several scholarly articles about the business world. After a radical spiritual transformation at a long-running revival in the mid-1990’s, he subsequently received both Bachelor and Graduate degrees in Biblical Studies and Theology, in order to prepare himself and his family for spending eight years as missionaries in Thailand. The Epping family returned to America in 2009, and is currently living in Montana, where MIchael is a minister, rancher, and writer. At this time, I want to thank my wife, Diane, for standing with me through all of the trials of writing these of books. I also want to thank Fiona Higgins, a missionary in Thailand, for editing all of the books that I have written.

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Preface

God wants all believers to move from being spiritual babes to a position of maturity. This does not mean trading in the zeal of the new Christian for maturity, but rather keeping the zest, while adding in knowledge and wisdom, as one’s mind is renewed. In Hebrews 5:13-14, we are told that ‘every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age.’ It is only in this way that we can become useful to Him. In Hebrews 6:1,2, we are told to ‘press on toward maturity.’ In 2 Peter 1:5-1, it tells of certain qualities that must be added to our faith, if we want to be fruitful and useful to God. These include: moral excellence; godliness; knowledge; brotherly kindness; self-control; love; and perseverance. If we want to be fruitful, it is up to us to add these qualities to our faith as part of the process of maturing. The Bible does not say that God will do this as part of His grace. It is a part of the righteous work needed to follow after Jesus. No one can be a friend of God and a friend of the world at the same time. In James 4:4, it shows that some believers thought they could engage in the immorality of the world and still walk with God, but James made it clear that friendship with the world means hostility towards God. We cannot have both. Spiritual growth and immoral behavior can not happen at the same time within a Christian. We are either conforming to the world or to God. What is the difference between being in the world and being of the world? Believers are in the world in the sense of living in and around those in society that are unsaved. However, we should not be of the world in the sense of living according to its standards and morals. As Christians, we are not of this world, and are strangers and aliens, meaning that we are citizens of our true home that is in heaven. Our moral purity rather comes from standing firm according to the Word of God.¹,²,³,&⁴

Obviously, God will wink at some of the actions of a new Christian for a season, as they have not had time to fully learn what is required to walk righteously in front of a Holy God. Someone in the church should take on the responsibility to disciple and mentor the new convert, so that he can begin to grow in the Word of God. It can be argued that the new babe can do this himself through a daily Bible study. Some have been able to successfully do this, while many others need the helping hand of the mentor to show them the way. Teaching is one of the five-fold ministries, and can be used not only with maturing Christians, but in helping the new Christian begin the process of renewing his mind. This may be the most important area of Christian ministry; one that is sadly neglected in too many churches. Too many new Christians have fallen along the pathway of moving from a new babe to spiritual maturity, because there was no one to help them at a critical point in their development. If the Christian is not there, you can bet that the Devil will be. This should not happen if the Church is properly carrying out the duty of teaching the new Christian. God expects us to mature, and not remain babes. What He may pass over in the new convert, He also expects to get cleaned up over time, as one reads, studies, and meditates on the Word, and is lead by the Holy Spirit. Bad habits are to be cast aside, and any thing that might defile the Holy Temple that is now contained within us must be consecrated to God.

Our Father wants all of those in the body of Christ to reach spiritual maturity as noted in Eph 4:13-15, ‘attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.’ Just as we grow physically from children into adults, God expects us to grow up spiritually, and not remain a babe forever. As with a young child, one can not expect him to eat solid meat, as he is not ready for it. The young baby remains on a formula of nourishing milk to grow during infancy. Only later, is solid food introduced into the diet. As a full grown adult, one may occasionally drink a glass of milk, but no longer is it the primary means of sustenance. Other foods are better able to provide the nutrients needed to maintain proper health. Our spiritual development also progresses in such a manner. In the first book of the Journey Through Brownsville series, we looked at some of the basic concepts for the new Christian to consider during the early stages after conversion. Later, in the second and third books, we looked at more solid issues that confront the Christian as he begins to progress in his walk with the Lord. In the current and last book in the series, the topic switches to teachings that involve ‘strong meat,’ which are designed for those of ‘full age.’ Milk for the new babe in Christ was liquid and could be swallowed with no chewing, and gave nourishment. Strong meat however is concentrated, much like a piece of beef jerky, needing to be chewed on as one eats. In other words, as one reads, they should also begin to spend more time studying and meditating on that which they are reading. Once the strong meat is sufficiently chewed, it can be swallowed, providing a concentrated source of nourishment. The teaching presented here will require some chewing. Some of the issues may seem more like a piece of leather at first, but keep on chewing, as they will become softened by the mentoring of the Holy Spirit, and will gradually be made palatable to be taken in as valuable learning.

Many of the chapters in this book deal with doctrine and theology. Before you quickly say that is too advanced for me, please listen. Everyone has a theology, whether they know it or not. Some are quite simple and practical, while others are more complex and theoretical. Both ends have value for the maturing Christian. Theology is defined as, ‘the study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions. A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions.’4 Every Christian, even the new babe, is concerned with the nature of God and has developed some opinions in this area. As we mature, and learn more of God’s Word, our theology becomes more seasoned. A proper formal theology has been said to be grounded in three areas: the gospel of the Bible, Church heritage or tradition, and the current thought forms of society. The Bible, however, should always remain the primary resource of any valid theology, or suffer abuse and deception. Some of these modern-day misconceptions will be addressed in Part III. It is the purpose of this book to present material that makes up an accurate theology for today’s Christian. Therefore, the issues in this book are highly relevant to the Christian who has progressed beyond babyhood, has been eating the solid food of the Word for a good while, but is hungry for some ‘strong meat’ in their diet.

Part I of the book starts with a chapter that presents a review of all the basic areas that are needed in the initial growth of the Christian. The second chapter presents a basic outline of key areas of service in which the maturing Christian might serve God, as part of the congregational ministry of the church. Chapter three will present a theology of the ordained ministry, which deals with the call of God on certain individuals into one of the five-fold ministry leadership offices. Additional material on counseling and intervention is continued in the appendix, for those that want more detail on the duties of the ordained ministry. The material in the first two chapters should already be familiar to the reader. If not, it might be best to stick with a course of study within one or more of these topic areas, until one feels proficient. There is no need to try and rush through the process of developing spiritually. Every person is different, and the speed of our progress varies. Some people need to take more time in certain areas than others. There is no set way or rule, except to let the Holy Spirit be your guide and listen to His promptings. In that fashion, you can never go wrong. Also, we need to remember, the goal of spiritual maturity is not to sacrifice a zealous hunger for God with knowledge and wisdom. These two areas are not mutually exclusive, even if you see some people in the Church today that seem to have progressed in such a fashion. One needs to hold onto the hunger and zeal that comes with being a new Christian, as they mature spiritually. In that fashion, you will become fully able to serve God in whatever capacity He has called you to in the Kingdom of God.

Part II of the book present material of specific theological interest for the maturing Christian. Part II will look at the Holy Trinity of God, with separate chapters on the doctrine of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Chapter seven presents a blueprint for a Triune Theology that fully includes all three persons of the Godhead. As seekers of the Truth, we all want to see Bible truths according to the Doctrine of God, and avoid the distortions of man-made doctrine. It is our hope that a practical Triune Theology of God is now emerging, that will properly align the Church with the purpose and plan of God.

We are all called to witness to the lost through the Great Commission, as presented by Christ in each of the four gospels. Everyone needs to be able to speak with authority from key scriptural areas in the Bible. Even though God has established formal authority for running the Church with the ordained ministry, He has called every Christian to have a ministry outside the church walls, and to help bring in the lost. This is a part of the congregational ministry of the Church.

Most Christians will never enter a seminary to formally study theology, but a case can be made that many (if not most) Christians have a need for a good practical theology in their lives. The purpose of the chapters in this book, is to provide a basic and condensed version of what might be called a layman’s course on theology. What I have attempted to do, is to select primary and secondary texts that are considered classics in each of these theological areas, and present a shortened version of the essentials. While some may think the length of the present book is long, it is actually quite short considering the vast nature of the material from which it was derived. If you will take your time reading, studying, and meditating on these chapters, then the Spirit will lead you into a good working knowledge of modern theology. Of course, if you want more in a certain area, you can always get a copy of the books footnoted in the Bibliography and read them. God Bless you on your journey!

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Foreword

BY PASTOR DON MOORE

For several years, I have known Dr. G. Michael Epping as a fellow believer and personal friend. From our first meeting I have been greatly impressed with his scholarly pursuit of spiritual issues and his genuine hunger for God. He has always struck me as a man of the highest integrity with a real desire to minister the love of God to his fellow man. In the ‘Journey Through The Brownsville Revival’ series, Dr. Epping thoroughly exposes all the major and relevant Bible doctrines. But, he goes a step further than most books that teach Biblical doctrine. He personalizes the many pitfalls that lie in wait for the Christian believer in his or her journey from the old Adamic nature to the new Christ-like nature. The ‘Journey Through The Brownsville Revival’ series is a comprehensive and scholarly work, yet one which abounds with personal experiences and examples. In its reading, you will be both informed and challenged by the straight forward writing of Dr. Epping.

A special emphasis is placed on the need for Heaven-sent and Spirit-inspired revival and restoration in the modern church as the only real hope for our 21st century society. I especially recommend this series of books for all who have a deep and abiding hunger for a return to the spiritual atmosphere that defined the Book of Acts church. Dr. Epping possesses that rare combination of keen intellect with a heart for God and the ability to convey his thoughts in writing. I know you will be abundantly blessed as you read the ‘Journey Through The Brownsville Revival’ series.

Don Moore

Pastor and Teacher

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Foreword

BY FIONA E. JENSZ-HIGGINS, MISSIONARY

Dr G. Michael Epping is a humble, practical, natural scholar and disciple of the things of God. I am grateful for the privilege of knowing him and his family, reading and editing his books and being a small part in what God purposes for this book series. There content is simple enough for the interested layman yet becomes more profound as they progress so that the scholarly Christian will find much to interest him or her.

These books are written with great honesty, intelligence and integrity. Dr Epping’s deep relationship and love for God is evident in his writing, as is his subtle sense of humour and his desire to accurately pen what God placed on his heart to write. The series was written from Dr Epping’s own experiences and learning, and as such, is a personal journey, but one that is so universal that it can be entered into and have much learnt and drawn from it. The real, vibrant, victorious Christian life evident in these books encourages both new believers and those in the faith for decades to grab a hold of the life Jesus Christ offers and to commit themselves in humble obedience to be used by Him according to His perfect divine will and plan for each individual life.

I would classify this series as a vital set of practical handbooks to instruct and encourage any reader on their journey of living theology - knowing, understanding and growing in God. The series was written to cross all cultural and denominational barriers and enlighten the reader on a vast range of practical Christian topics in a concise yet thorough manner. The first book could instruct someone in his or her first steps toward a living faith. The second is an awesome instruction manual for intimacy with God and the third goes into more depth on such subjects as church history and how and why we need to take the gospel to a dying world. The fourth book covers subjects such as theology, doctrine and ideas for pastoral ministry. They could also be used as a concise collection of reference books for the person in ministry. I agree with Dr Epping that the series builds on itself but each book can also stand alone under it’s specific title.

The fact that Dr Epping became a Christian later in life and has gone forward in leaps and bounds is one reason, I feel, he can address the entire gamut of Christianity so articulately as he has done in only a four book series. There are points of interest and instruction for anyone who has honestly sought God and many questions and challenges are raised to provoke a heartfelt response from the reader. We are shown reasons why the church has grown, sometimes stagnated and gone backwards, and how it can go on to be all God has planned.

Reading Dr G. Michael Epping’s books stirred much pondering in my heart and mind, and renewed and refreshed my passion for the things of God. I believe they were written under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and I know and pray they will touch the heart of you, dear fellow reader, with the truth and fire of God.

Fiona E. Jensz-Higgins

Editor and missionary

Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ

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PART I

MAN:

ISSUES FOR

GROWTH AND MINISTRY

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CHAPTER 1

BASIC ELEMENTS FOR GROWTH

The Holy Bible

The Bible is a written record of the Word of God to Mankind, which has been given to many people, over many centuries, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The power and authority of the Bible originates with God Himself. II Tim. 3:16 says ‘all scripture is inspired by God.’ It therefore has all the integrity and dependability of God. There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, giving a total of 66 books for the entire Bible. The time frame for the Old Testament is from creation to the return of Israel (Babylonian exile). The time frame for the New Testament is from the birth of Christ to His return and establishment of the new Kingdom. The Old Testament can be divided into five major parts, which are: Law, History, Poetry and Wisdom, Major Prophets, and Minor Prophets. The New Testament can be divided into five segments: Gospels, History, Epistles of Paul, General Epistles, and Prophecy. The original language of the Old Testament is Hebrew, and for the New Testament is Greek. The Old Testament looks forward to the Coming of Christ. Jesus was the ‘seed’ of the covenant God made with Abraham. By allusion or direct prophecy, Jesus is contained in every book of the Old Testament. Jesus was the Redeemer promised to Abraham.¹

The Bible is readily available to all in this country, and many (but not all) parts of the world. Yet, it has not always been so. In the past, before the advent of the printing press, only a few had the privilege of owning a Bible. Even today, in some countries, believers greatly treasure any portion of the scriptures in print that they can obtain. How does this fact affect your thinking about the scriptures? My family and myself are blessed to have the Word readily available to us. We have at least eight Bibles in the home in translations ranging from the King James to the Amplified. I have the Bible and five translations on my computer, and can search topic by topic from the entire Bible. We are blessed, and should share our knowledge with others to spread the Word to others. Americans should therefore be familiar with the entire Bible. Barring some type of mental dysfunction, any lacking is based on laziness rather than a lack of availability.

There are many scriptures that reveal to us the character of the Word of God. The following are a selection of passages that help give us a description of God’s nature. Psalm 119:89 shows God’s Word is settled in Heaven. Proverbs 4:22 says His Word is life and health to those that read it. Isaiah 55:10,11 relates that God’s Word goes forth from His mouth and will not return empty. John 6:63 tells us the Spirit gives life. God’s Word is both spirit and life. Acts 20:32 states that God’s grace builds us up, and we are sanctified and receive His inheritance. I Thessalonians 2:13 says, we should receive God’s message, and not man’s. II Timothy 3:16,17 reveals that all scripture is inspired by God and useful for doctrine, reproof, and correction. Hebrews 1:3 shows the living Word, Jesus, purged our sins, and sits at the right hand of the Father. Hebrews 4:12 reveals that the Word is sharper than a two edged sword dividing soul from spirit. I Peter 1:23 shows that we are born again from God’s imperishable seed; the Word.

The Word of God is His agent by which He accomplishes His will on the earth. The following three examples show the power of God’s Word. God created the world by His Word - Gen 1:3, Pm 33:6,9. Men are born again by the Word - I Peter 1:2,3. God heals by the Word - Pm 107:20. The Word of God is absolutely reliable, and we can put our full confidence in it, as shown in Numbers 23:19 and James 1:17. God does not lie, and He does not change. The Word of God is completely reliable, yesterday, today, and tomorrow because God Himself is reliable.

What is the connection between a person's word and his character, and how does one’s knowledge of God's character affect the way one views the Bible? Psalm 119:90 can help us answer this question. Our word is only as good as our character. The word of a liar or cheat is not valuable. Even a good man’s word may not be reliable because he will change over time. God however does not change and His Word is that assurance to us. We need to take on the character and mind of Christ, and empty ourselves. To the extent that we can do that, we may also be reliable.

The Word of God is alive and full of power, having within it all of God's promises. This powerful Word however was of little use to the children of Israel because they were spiritually dead because of the Fall of man. While they had the Law from God on how to do right, they did not have the power of the Holy Spirit which came with the New Covenant. They also did not mix the power of the Word with faith. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God. An evil report is man’s report based on bad circumstances, rather than what God has told us directly through revelation from His Word or Spirit. Let us always turn to God’s Word for His report. Some basic lessons can be learned from the children of Israel. Obey God’s Word and be blessed. Disobey and lose the blessings, and open oneself to God’s wrath and attacks from Satan. We always have a choice, and we should base our judgments on God’s Word. The principle of the seed can be related to the Word of God. The seed is both the written Word (Bible) and the living Word (Jesus). The Old Covenant was established with God’s friend Abraham to preserve a seed, which was Jesus. Jesus’ birth, life and ministry, death, and resurrection opened the door for our salvation. In order for the seed to grow and be fruitful, it must be first taken off the shelf, and planted. In order to do this we must: plant the seed in our heart; believe it is working before it sprouts; and trust in the Lord, having patience while it is growing. With spiritual maturity, we begin to eat the strong meat of the Word, as it bears fruit in our lives.

The key to establishing the Word in your heart is diligence. If one will diligently give attention to the Word, he will grow and mature. Several things can be used to aid in this process. Read the Word diligently. Set a regular time and a goal. Pray before reading, and do not allow exceptions to keep you from reading. Study the Word by reading it as many times as needed to gain understanding. Use tools like; accurate Bible translations, amplified Bible, concordance, dictionaries, handbooks, and expository dictionary. All of these are are tools and methods for aiding one in studying the Bible. Meditation on the Word means to mutter, ponder, and reflect. This unlocks the scripture by allowing the Holy Spirit to speak Truth to your spirit. Studying involves reading scripture from several translations such as using a Comparative Bible (mine has four translations side by side), checking words as used in other passages (as in a Strong’s concordance), using a dictionary for precise meaning of words, and using handbooks or commentaries such as Dake’s. Eph 6:18 in the KJV says, ‘And be not drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit.’ Comparing this with the Amplified and RSV can help make the meaning precise. Comparing the word ’filled’ with other passages on the Baptism in the Holy Ghost (as stated by John the Baptist in Matthew) and as poured out in the Book of Acts and in I Corinthians, gives conclusive evidence that one must be full of the spirit in order to walk a holy life and do God’s work. A Bible dictionary indicates that filling means to be, ‘being filled’ (it should be continuous), showing that we must be filled daily by the Holy Ghost, or we will grow weak like a battery that hasn’t been charged.

Regeneration

Jesus came to earth to provide a way for God to redeem man, who was hopelessly lost in sin. By His shed blood, He has made it possible for us to be born again into the family of God; to be taken from death into life. The new birth makes us a new creation in Christ Jesus. There are two ‘’births’ that a man can experience. One every person experiences, the other not all experience. These are a physical birth in the flesh, and a spiritual rebirth. 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, ‘For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.’ Adam was spiritually dead from the Fall due to sin. We are all born physically as the seed of Adam. We have inherited his sin nature, and will surely pay the punishment for those sins unless we are born again. The new birth is being born again spiritually, and becoming the seed of Jesus. In order to do this, we must repent of our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We then are saved and redeemed from our sins. In Matthew 23:27, Jesus referred to the unbeliever, who was alive physically on the outside, but was dead spiritually on the inside. They were deceived, and knew not the truth. For the Jews of Jesus’ day, as well as the unbeliever of today, they may look righteous in their own works according to the law. Unless the law is written in their hearts through being born again, their tomb will remain empty.

Man's basic problem is not what he does, but rather what he is. What we are determines what we do. If we are a child of darkness, we will do evil. If we are reborn into the light, we will do good. Religion without a salvation experience can never transform one from darkness into the light. Reborn means removal of the old, and replacement with the new nature (Col. 3:9,10). By being reborn we ‘passed out of death into life’ (John 5:24). Why does the concept of ‘growth’ not apply to the New Birth? Growth indicates that we can get better over time, and grow to a point where God accepts us as worthy. The new birth is an instantaneous transformation from death to life, from darkness to light. Our salvation is complete when we accept Jesus as Lord, and repent of our sins making Him our Savior also.

There is a difference between the terms ‘endless existence,’ and ‘eternal life.’ Eternal life is the very nature of God. John 1:4 says, ‘In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.’ Endless existence applies to all men, but it may be in Hell unless you are reborn and gain eternal life. The new birth ushers us into the family of God. A child of God is a new creature, as the old has now passed away. We have instantly been recreated in our spirit. The flesh however must be crucified daily and will not be transformed till the Rapture. Our souls must be saved after salvation by the renewal of our mind through the reading of the Word, and revelation from the Holy Spirit. The ‘dual nature’ fallacy is referred to by Paul in the seventh chapter of Romans. Some people think that we can be Christians with both natures present; that is, it is okay to live with a little sin in your life. The Bible clearly states there is no middle or lukewarm ground. You are either a child of God or a child of the Devil. The two natures cannot coexist any more than vinegar and oil. While we do not grow into salvation, Ephesians 4:14,15 speaks of us ‘growing up in Him,’ after salvation. We grow by renewing our minds through the reading of the Word, and through instruction from the Holy Spirit. We can ‘grow up in Him.’ We need to walk in the light of what God has accomplished in us, and go from ‘Glory to Glory."

Only three classes of people in the Old Testament had the privilege of having the Spirit of God upon them: the King (or Judge); the Prophet; and the Priest. Under the Old Covenant, God usually chooses to manifest His presence in the Ark, which later was put in the Tabernacle and Temple. The Spirit of God could not indwell men under the Old Covenant because their spirit was dead. The Holy Spirit did not indwell someone until after the New Covenant had been put into place through Jesus, allowing the Father to give the promise of the Holy Spirit to believers in Christ. Christ’s sacrifice for our sins allowed us to be redeemed from sin. Only with sin out of our lives can the Holy Spirit indwell and live within a believer. Sin and God can not co exist in the same dwelling place. One or the other must go.

There are several key scriptures that refer to the importance of the new birth. John 1:12 and 13, shows we were given the power to be Sons of God through our rebirth. James 1:18 indicates we were begat with the Word and became a first fruit of his creatures. I Peter 1:23 says that then we are reborn, it is with an incorruptible seed. In 1 John 4:15, it says if we confess Jesus as the Son of God, God will dwell in us. 1 John 5:1 tells of those who are born again overcoming the world. In Ezekiel 36:26,27, God made two great promises. The first is that He will give us a new heart of flesh to replace the stony heart. The second is, He will put a regenerated spirit in that new heart, and put His Spirit within to communicate with us. The promises made in Ezekiel 36:26 and 27, are already fulfilled in the life of anyone who believes on Jesus. We should all ask ourselves if we are really saved because, ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God’ (Rms. 8:16). If we do not have the Spirit of God living within us, we are not saved (Rms. 8:9).

There are five things that have happened to someone who has been born again as indicated in scripture. John 5:24 says that those that believe on Him shall have eternal life. Colossians 1:13 tells we have been translated from Darkness to God’s Kingdom. I John 3:1 ahows we have become the Sons of God. In 11 Corinthians 5:17, it reveals that we become a new creature in Christ. John 14:7 shows that if we know Jesus, we also will know the Father, and have the Spirit of God dwelling within. Usually, there are some immediate changes which occur when one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. My own life was transformed from darkness to Light, and I became a child of God. The inner voice of the Holy Spirit leads me into righteousness, and instructs to help renew my mind. I am becoming more spiritually mature through the Holy Spirit’s guidance in my reading of the Word.

Attributes of God

We do not have to look much further than the world in which we live in to see the power and existence of God. All men can see and know these things without any revelation from God, either spoken or written. At the same time, a deeper understanding of God and His nature can only be gained by man through God’s Word. Wise men will turn to God rather than to the world. The Bible in Psalms 14:1 labels those that deny God’s existence as ‘fools.’ Several scriptures (Old and New Testament) reveal the preexistence of God. Some of these are: He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Col. 1:17); I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (Rom 1:8); before the mountains were born, Thou gave birth to the earth (Pm 90:2); and in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1).

God's exclusive attributes (i.e. those that belong only to Him) are omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. God is omnipotent; which means all powerful, and includes acts only God could perform (Is 40:25,26, Gen 17:1, Gen 35:11, and Rev 4:8). God is omnipresent, which means He is present everywhere at the same time. He is distinct and different from His creation (Jer 23:23,24, Psm 139:7-12, Luke 12:6). God is omniscient, which means all knowing, a part of His very nature. Knowledge comes from only Him; He knows all there is to know (Psm 147:5, Eph 1:3-4, Psm 139:23, 24). There are two things which God cannot do. He can not lie (Titus 1:2), and He can not deny Himself (II Tim 2:13). God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence are more than mere theological concepts. They are spiritual realities. All three of these are eternally present in the world, for everyone. God is always there, wherever I am at. I can not hide from God. If God seems to not be there, it is because I have withdrawn from God, not the other way round. He will never leave me. His power to influence and transform lives is always there. If one will only accept Him, believe and have faith in God, we can be used as a conduit for God’s power to be channeled to others. We must be full of the Spirit in order for these things to happen. We can not be filled with the Spirit if we are full of sin. Lastly, God knows everything about us. We can hide nothing from Him. We may attempt to hide sin from others, but God (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost) knows our secret sins. We must repent to be in relationship with God.

There are the two paradoxical (i.e. seemingly contradictory) concepts involved in the Trinity. One is that there is unity in God, and the other is that there is plurality in God. Several scriptures support the position that there is only one God: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one’ (Dt 6:4 and Ex 20:3-7); there is no God but God alone (Is 43:10, and 45:5). He is the only true God (Jn 17:3), and idols are false gods (I Cor 8:4). Other scriptures indicate that God is three persons in one. In Genesis 1:26, God uses ‘us’ and ‘our’ in reference to how He created man. This refers to the trinity or three persons in one. All three persons of the Godhead were present at the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:21, 22). These are not manifestations or outward expressions of one person. How else can the Son sit at the right hand of the Father, and send forth the Holy Spirit to us (Mark 16:19, and Acts 2:33)? Manifestations do not talk to each other. Dt 6:4 and Ex 20: 3-7 say that the ‘Lord is one.’ John 17:3 reveals God is the ‘only true God.’ Other supporting scriptures include 2 Cor 13:14, Matt 28:19, and Gen 1:26.

Three things have caused man to have a dark and distorted image of God. One is that sin distorts the image of God in man. A second is, God’s character is defamed by Satan in man. Third, our thinking is distorted many times by religion and man’s doctrine (as oppose to Bible doctrine). Religion is a set of ideas or beliefs about God formed from the traditions of man (using the natural mind) instead of beliefs based on the Word of God (from our spirit). God is love, and Jesus represented that love to man. This is the core nature of God. If we are to be in relationship with God, we must love God with all our heart and soul, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. These are the two most important commandments of the New Covenant. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from reading and mediating on the Word of God. In order to build our faith that God truly loves us, we must read His Word since it is filled with scriptures expressing God’s love for us. We must believe God’s Word, and that in turn strengthens our faith that He is a God of love. If we are to please God, we must believe that His character is one of a rewarder. We can not have confidence in God unless we see Him as both a rewarder and liberal giver.

Jesus reveals God the Father to us, both through His words and His deeds. In Jesus’ earthly life, both His teaching and lifestyle reveal a God full of love and compassion. There are several qualities and characteristics of God the Father revealed in Christ. In Heb 1:3, Jesus is ‘the radiance of His glory, the exact representation of His nature.’ Jesus exemplifies the love of God by dying for our sins (Romans 5). Jesus referred to God as the Father, His Father, and our Father. Yahweh is our Daddy. God wanted a family (Eph 1:4,5) and was called our ‘Heavenly Father.’ God answers our prayers (Mt 6:7-17) because He is a loving Father. He is much more than our earthly father (Mt 7:11), ‘How much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him.’ Jesus said if you will ask the Father in Jesus’s name, Jesus will ask the Father on your behalf, and the Father loves you (John 16:26,27). Finally, God loves us as much as He loves Jesus. Jesus lived out the characteristics of God while here on earth. He ‘went about doing good, healing all those oppressed by the Devil’ (Acts 10:38). He was moved by compassion, and healed the sick (Mt 14:14). He was filled with compassion and fed the multitudes (Mt 15:32-37). He was moved by compassion, and told the disciples to pray to send laborers forth (Mt 9:36-38). Jesus was moved by compassion because God was move by compassion. We cannot fully appropriate all the things God has for us, until we come to a full knowledge of who God is. As we truly know Him, we begin to see that He perfectly defines what love is all about. God has not left or changed. If you think that you are alone, turn around and God will be there. II Peter 1:30 says, God has ‘granted into us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him.’

Righteousness Of God

One who is righteous is a person that has right standing with God. This is the basis for fellowship with God. E. W. Kenyon called righteousness ‘the ability to stand in the presence of the Father God without the sense of guilt or inferiority.’ Obviously, in order to come into God’s presence, sin must be removed and replaced with righteousness, which can only come from believing in Jesus Christ. The ‘Good News’ Gospel message of the New Covenant (through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ) has removed sin from man (not covered over as in the Old Covenant). Man before the fall had three different characteristics, which were the possession of Adam, the first man, before he sinned. These are: man was created in God’s image as a spiritual being; man was created for God’s underrule with authority and dominion over the earth; and man was created with freedom of choice, to obey or disobey God.

Adam's sin had a great effect on him as well as on the rest of mankind. Adam, and us, suffered a spiritual death; a separation from God because of sin. We could no longer come directly into His presence. We also suffered a physical death, something that originally was not present. In addition, we also suffered sickness. All of us as the seed of Adam have inherited these qualities. The only remedy is the seed of Abraham (Jesus) who can redeem us and make us a new creature in Christ. Jesus was God’s plan for man’s redemption from the very beginning. He was the promised redeemer that was to bruise and crush the serpent’s head. The old covenant was established so that Abraham’s seed would appear for our redemption. Gen 3:15 says that Jesus would crush the head of Satan and defeat sin. Rev 13:8 says, ‘the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the World,’ would shed His blood once and for all to redeem man from sin.

The New Testament states explicitly that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. Why was God able to forgive (pass over) men's sins on the basis of animal sacrifice under the Old Covenant? It was because all the Old Testament sacrifices look forward to the sacrifice made by Jesus (Rom 3:25, Heb 9:15). Also the covenant between God and Abraham and the Law allowed for the sins of the Israelites to be atoned for (covered up) through the shedding of the blood of animals. There was a covering over, but not a forgiveness of sin as was true with the new covenant (Lev 16:15, Lev 17:11, Lev 5:9, Lev 16:21,22). The description of the Day of Atonement and the sacrifice of the two goats described in Leviticus 16 symbolize the two-fold nature of Jesus' sacrifice. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. With Christ in death, we can be identified with His resurrection and righteousness. Jesus’ s blood did not merely cover over sin, but redeemed our sins which were forgiven by God. This sacrifice once and for all broke the hold sin held over man, if he would repent and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Abel’s blood speaks of condemnation, but the blood of Jesus brings forgiveness and redemption. The price for sin has been paid. Propitiation means the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins was an appeasement or satisfaction. The wrath of God was forever appeased for those who repent and believe on Jesus. Jesus on the cross bore the wrath of God that rightly should have fallen on all of us.

Jesus' humanity can be attested to in several scriptures. Luke 2:7 tells that Jesus was born as a man of a woman, with the same fleshly temptations as any other man. In Hebrews 4:15, Jesus was in all points tempted as all of us are to sin, but was however without sin. I John 1:1 reveals that the Word which was here from the beginning, came down to earth for us to see in the flesh with our own eyes, and to be touched with our hands. Other scriptures attest to Jesus's divinity. John 8:58 says that Jesus existed before He was born as a man, ‘truly truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’ John 10:30 shows Jesus affirming God’s Divinity, ‘I and the Father are one.’ Jesus was also the Son of God. It was necessary for our Redeemer to be fully God and fully man. He had to be a man to be subject to the same temptations to sin as the rest of mankind. He had to be God since no man could remain sinless throughout his life and bear the combined sins of all humanity on the cross.

We were saved by grace, through faith. Faith is based on the Word of God. We build faith by knowing the Word of God and following it in our lives, not by our self righteous works. How would you respond to a person who said, I know I'm going to heaven because I obey all the rules of my church? Our self-righteous works will never get us into heaven because, without the Holy Spirit leading us, we can’t ever be worthy. Rather than following self-righteous rules developed by man, be righteous in the Lord. In I Cor 1:31 it says, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ For by grace, you have been saved. The Galatian error is talked about in Rms. 1:17, where Paul told us God’s righteousness is ‘from faith to faith.’ This means our right standing is initially established through grace and faith, and also continuously maintained through faith. Many think that we are saved through grace, but will maintain our standing in God’s eyes through our good works in the church. We must, rather, use faith to maintain our status with God, ‘For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also’ (James 2:26).

According to Isaiah 32:17, there are three main effects or works of righteousness in the hearts and minds of believers. Peace returns to man the dominion given to Adam in the beginning. Quietness restores the freedom from fear that Adam lost after the fall. Confidence enables man to enter into God’s presence without guilt, inferiority, or condemnation. According to Hebrews 5:13, a babe is a Christian who only is drinking milk, going through life based on the fact that they have been made the righteousness of God in Christ. Right standing with God takes away the condemnation of sin. We need to free ourselves from sin through repentance and believe in both our hearts and minds that God has declared us righteous through the sacrifice of Jesus. In this fashion we can mature and eat of the strong meat of the scriptures.

Free From The Bondage Of Sin

As we have already learned, God has justified us through Christ’s sacrifice. He has forgiven us of our sins, and made us righteous not on our works, but based on our faith. We are righteous because of God’s grace and mercy, and the fact that we have put our faith in His Son, Jesus. We have already established the fact that righteousness means right standing with God. But, there is more to it! In I John 3:7, it says ‘Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.’ John wrote this to tell us that those who are righteous on the inside have the power and ability to act righteous on the outside. Neither, our salvation, Spirit baptism, nor Christian walk, was created by our good works, but we were rather created for good works. As Christians, God’s holy nature that is within us should begin to manifest itself in our outward walk.

Six attributes of a sinner are listed by Paul in Romans 7:14-25. These are: he is sold into bondage to sin; he does the very thing that he hates to do; he is unable to do the good that he wants to do; he is a prisoner of the law of sin in his body; he serves the law of sin in his flesh, even though his mind knows the law of God; and he is a wretched man. This man is clearly an unbeliever still lost in sin. His old man is in charge of what he does, and he can do little else since his spirit is unregenerated. Romans 7:14-25 describes in detail the nature of a natural man bound by sin. The thing that kept us bound in sin was the old man, who needed to be killed before it was possible for us to be freed from the power of sin. That part of us, our old man, was crucified with Jesus. Romans 6:6 shows our old man was done away with and we are no longer slaves to sin. Galatians 2:20 shows Jesus made the sacrifice, and I was crucified with him, nevertheless I live. There are four basic aspects of our identification with Christ: the body of sin is made powerless (Rms. 6:6); our old nature is dead to the world (Gal 6:14); my being is delivered and transformed (Col. 1:13); and I am willing and working to do what is right before God (Phil 2:13).

Sanctification indicates our separation from the world (set apart) by virtue of what we do in life, as shown in I Thes 4:7. God has set us free so that we can live in complete mastery over sin and the temptation to sin. God wants us to rise above sin and live holy lives based on integrity and purity. Since our old man is now dead, we, through our regenerated spirit, have been given back our freedom to choose between sin and righteousness. We have been given the power to walk above sin, but the choice, as with Adam, is daily before us. The TRUTH is the old man is dead, and we are free to choose between righteousness and sin (Rms. 6:1,13). As Christians, we are the servants of Jesus, the one we present ourselves to, and the members of our body. To remain faithful and obedient, our choice should always be to choose righteousness. To choose sin is to not walk with God (Rms. 12:1). We must put the deeds of the body to death, and keep it under submission to our spirit. We must control it until the rapture, when we finally will receive our new uncorrupted body. Paul said in order to not be disqualified, we must keep the body in control (I Cor 9:27). We will get help from the mind as it is renewed through the Word of God. As baby Christians, we must rely on our spirit and stay in the Word, using faith to lead us rather than our five physical senses. As a believer, we have a recreated spirit within us that desires to obey God, but we live in a body which still wants to disobey God and follow the lusts of the flesh and the world. Thus there is a war raging between the desires of our spirit man and the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:17). Our mind moves from supporting the desires of the flesh to supporting the desires of the spirit as the Holy Spirit guides us in learning the truth from the Word of God. The fruit of obedience to the spirit is sanctification which allows us to outwardly walk in righteousness.

Many times, a believer will feel condemned when he has a hateful or lustful thought. The devil will often put a thought into our heads and then condemn us for entertaining it. But this is only temptation and is not the same thing as carrying the thought out into action. Jesus was tempted (Heb 4:15) yet did not sin. He was victorious in the face of temptation; the same should be true of us in regard to temptation. The response of a believer should be to always resist that which tempts us, rather than to feel condemnation. We should never entertain temptation or allow those thoughts to continue. Our immediate response to temptation should be resistance. Evil thoughts, if allowed to stay in the mind, will build up and inevitably lead to sin. James 1:14, 15, says :’Dwelling on the things of the earth and of the flesh will only lead to a fall into sin.’ The longer we wait to deal with temptation, the harder it gets to resist, and the closer we get to committing the actual sin. Can we still go back into the old places of sin after we are born again? I would say that one should not go to places which put him in the gravitational pull of sin. Being among people that are drinking or using drugs (especially if you did also before becoming a believer) allows the enemy to tempt you. Romans 13:14 says, ‘make no provision for the flesh, in regard to its lusts.’ Staying around sin will almost certainly result in one falling back into sin. The only time this person should go around those persons is to witness for Christ, but he should not live there. He would be better off to go to places like church or bible school, and find new friends that will help strengthen his stand in Christ. Sin is destructive and will eventually kill you. Romans 6:23 says, ‘For the wages of sin is death.’ Sin will destroy your faith. We cannot receive from God through faith, when we are living in sin. (I John 3:22). Sin will also destroy our fellowship with God. God and sin do not mix. If we choose sin, we will be taken out of our close relationship to the Lord. God can not tolerate sin. His holy nature abhors everything that sin stands for. Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven because of sin, and Adam was taken out of relationship with God through sin. We also can not come into the presence of the Lord when we are living in sin. It is against the character of God, and against the character of a true Christian. However, we can be restored to a right relationship with a forgiving God, if we repent and turn away from the sin in our life.

What do you do if you have committed a sin, and are feeling condemned about it? First of all, Romans 8:1 says, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ We can not walk free from sin until we understand this critical point. All of us are likely to fall to sin at some point in the future. But, when this happens, we are to repent and ask for forgiveness, get back up, and go on with our walk in Christ. We should forget the sin, since the Lord forgets as soon as we ask for forgiveness. Condemnation usually will drive the person deeper into sin and further away from God. We can not walk free from sin if we are laboring under condemnation. We should not condemn ourselves, and certainly should not condemn others. We should rather ask God for forgiveness, and have our fellowship fully restored. Then we should forever forget about the sin. In Eph 5:8, it says we were formerly children of darkness, but now as Christians are light in the Lord. This passage shows us that if we are really believers, we should walk in the light of Jesus and choose righteousness over sin. Sin is only for the children of the darkness and their father the Devil. II Tim 3:19 tells us the foundation of God is sure, and we as believers have His seal, and Jesus knows His own. All of us that have chosen to follow Christ should forsake sin. This is the true walk of the Christian. To continually walk otherwise brings up serious doubts as to whether a person has truly chosen light over darkness. A genuine Christian can not be satisfied while walking in sin. In II Cor 7:1, we are shown that having heard the promises of God, we should cleanse ourselves of all filthiness in our being, perfecting holiness out of the fear of God. Holiness should be the only walk for the Christian. To walk otherwise means we suppress our fear of God, and face the real possibility that we could be eternally damned and separated from the presence of God.

Renewing Of The Mind

Salvation is instantaneous, and our spirit is reborn the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The saving of our mind takes time as the Holy Spirit renews it through revelation and reading the Word of God. We must ‘grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior’ (II Peter 3:18). While our spirit is regenerated instantly, our mind must be renewed through a process of growing and maturing in the Word. There are three parts of man. We are a spirit, since we are created in