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THE BELIEVER'S STANDING IN CHRIST
(v. 1) "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
(v. 2) through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."
"Into this grace in which we now stand" =
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
["Who has blessed us" = "eulogEsas emas", aorist nominative participle, lit.,"[the] one who has blessed us." =
Since it is all believers who are in view in the aorist past tense participle = one of completed action in the past;
and since all believers are blessed "with every spiritual blessing";
and since this encompasses believers of all levels of maturity and length of time as believers;
then all believers must have received such blessings in toto at the point that they became believers - leaving no further times when additional spiritual gifts or other blessings are to be received. Thus it remains for the believer to grow in spiritual maturity more specifically in the utilization of the particular spiritual blessings that God has bestowed upon him at the point of conversion.
There is a plethora of things that make up the grace in which the believer now stands. The believer has been blessed "in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ' not the least of which are the following:
II) THE GRACE IN WHICH THE BELIEVER NOW STANDS:
(v. 1) "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God" =
"eisenen echomen pros ......ton Theon"
"peace...we have..toward....God"
Certainly if one is
declared absolutely righteous as a completed action in the past, then
one is no longer at enmity with God, rather at peace with Him relative
to his eternal destiny. This is a positional statement, not an
experiential one as the believer will still struggle with sin in his
mortal life, (Ro 7:7-25 [
]), and each time the child of God sins he
is out of fellowship with God, (1 Jn 2:15-17; Eph 4:30). Although
positionally, i.e., eternally he remains at peace with God since his
sins have already been paid for at the cross, (1 Jn 2:2), and forgiven
at the point of faith, (Acts 10:43), the believer who sins is for the
moment under God's discipline, (Heb 12:3-11) and out of temporal
fellowship with Him, (1 Jn 1:1-9); but never out of eternal fellowship,
(Ro 8:38-39).
Furthermore, the experiential peace of God the believer has as a result of his understanding of his eternal position with God and his obedience to God's will is a temporal and experiential one, not an eternal and positional one the latter being in view in Ro 5:1, so experiencing the peace of God is dependent upon the moment to moment actions of the believer:
(v. 6) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
(v. 7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Note that an alternate reading of Ro 5:1 which is found in some manuscripts of "let us have peace with God" = "echwmen", with a long o, ('w') rather than the short o, subjunctive mood = objective possibility but not certainty as a result of our justification must be overruled on the basis of earlier dated manuscript evidence, the discovery of the Wyman vellum fragment, (0220) dated latter 3rd century supports echomen, short "o", indicative mood which predates other manuscripts with the long "o", subjunctive mood. Furthermore the indicative mood which occurs throughout this passage establishes a context of statement of fact and not objective possibility, so 'echomen', indicative mood fits best. Finally, if one is declared absolutely righteous as a completed action in the past, then one is in fact no longer at enmity with God relative to eternal life, rather at peace with Him.
So it is the individual who has been justified through faith once for all time, i.e., the believer, who is in view. And one of the key benefits of being justified by faith is a state of peace with God.
Previously, the unsaved individual was at enmity with God all the time but once reconciled to God through faith alone in Christ alone, he is no longer an enemy:
"For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!"
(v. 10) "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!
(v. 11) Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received reconciliation."
This concept of eternal and positional peace through Christ is stipulated by Paul in Ephesians between Jew and Gentile as a result of the believer's peace with God through the reconciliation produced by faith in our Lord's death on the cross to save one:
(v. 14) "For He [Christ, (v. 12-13)] is our peace, Who has made the two [Jew and Gentile] one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
(v. 15) by abolishing in His flesh the Law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man [the Church] out of the two, thus making peace,
(v. 16) and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.
(v. 17) He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
(v. 18) For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
"You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, Who is Lord of all."
"But He [The Messiah Jesus Christ] was pierced for our transgression, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed [of our spiritual sickness, i.e., sin]."
This is not to say that now that an individual has become a believer his life will always be one of peace with God in his experience. No believer can claim to be without sin, (1 Jn 1:8, 10). And when a believer sins he grieves God, (Eph 4:30) and falls out of fellowship with Him until the sin(s) at hand become confessed, (1 Jn 1:1-9). So between God & a believer who sins there is no experiential peace, eternal yes, temporal peace, no.
So this is the reason that other passages in effect exhort the child of God to have peace with God in his experience. But this particular exhortation is not in view in Ro 5:1.
[Newell, op. cit., pp. 164-165]:
" 'Peace' means that war is done. 'Peace with God' means that God has nothing against us. This involves:
a) That God has fully judged sin, upon Christ, our Substitute.
b) That God was so wholly satisfied with Christ's sacrifice, that He will eternally remain so: never taking up the judgment of our sin again.
c) That God is therefore at rest about us forever, however poor our understanding of truth, however weak our walk. God is looking at the blood of Christ, and not at our sins. All claims against us were met when Christ 'made peace by the blood of His cross.' [Col 1:20]...
Our peace with God is not as between two nations before at war; but as between a king and rebellious and guilty subjects. While our hearts are at last at rest, it is because God, against whom we sinned, has been fully satisfied at the cross. 'Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' does not mean peace through what He is now doing, but through what He did do on the Cross. He 'made peace' by the blood of His cross. All the majesty of God's holy and righteous throne was satisfied when Christ said, 'It is finished.' And, being now raised from the dead, 'He is our peace.' [Eph 2:14] But it is His past work at Calvary, not His present work of intercession, that all is based on; and that gives us a sense of the peace which He made through His blood.
This peace with (or towards) God must not be confused with the 'peace of God' of Philippians 4:7, which is a subjective state; whereas peace with God is an objective fact - outside of ourselves. Thousands strive for inward [experiential] peace, never once resting where God is resting - in the finished work of Christ on Calvary....
The difference may be brought out by asking ourselves two questions: First. Have I peace with God? Yes; because Christ died for me. Second, Have I the peace of God in quietness from the anxieties and worries of life in my heart? We see at once that being at peace with God must depend on what was done for us by Christ on the cross. It is not a matter of experience, but of revelation. On the contrary, the peace of God 'sets a garrison around our hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus,' when we refuse to be anxious about circumstances, and 'in everything (even the most '''trifling''' affairs) by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known unto God.' Every believer is at peace with God, because of Christ's shed blood. Not every believer has this 'peace of God' within him; for not all have consented to judge anxious cares and worry as unbelief in God's Fatherly kindness and care."
2) THE BELIEVER HAS GOD'S PERMANENT REDEMPTION - HIS FORGIVENESS OF SINS
From the moment an individual becomes a believer he is in receipt of God's permanent redemption.
"In Him [Christ, (v. 3)] we [believers, (vv. 1-6)] have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace"
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. [Dt 21:23]' "
"redeemed us" = "exegorasen" = a compound verb; aorist tense = completed action indicating a once for all time action; indicative mood = a statement of fact indicating a completed position; this compound verb consisting of "egorasen" = purchase, (cp Rev 5:9), and "ex" = out of, i.e., "exegorasen" = "to purchase out of being subject to the curse of the Law, i.e., the slave market of sin so that one can never return to it.
(v. 13) "For He [God the Father, (v. 12)] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,
(v. 14) in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
[Notice: redemption here is equated with the forgiveness of sins.]
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance [of eternal life] until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory."
Notice that upon a moment of faith alone in Christ alone the individual is "marked in Him [Christ] with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession."
3) THE BELIEVER IS COMPLETELY RECONCILED TO GOD
[DETAILED STUDY ]
The believer has God's
permanent reconciliation. Although all mankind has received the first
part of God's reconciliation in that no man's sins are counted against
them, elect and non-elect, believer and unbeliever alike, (ref: 2 Cor
5:18-19; 1 Jn 2:2 []); only the one who has trusted alone in
Christ alone, the believer, has been provided with God's complete
reconciliation unto eternal life so that he has been:
a) Given the gift of the perfect righteousness of God, (Ro 3:21-22; Phil 3:8-9
b) Taken out of Adam and placed forever into Christ, (Eph 1:13-14)
c) Forgiven personally of all sins, past, present and future relative to eternal life, (Acts 10:43).
4) THE BELIEVER IS COMPLETELY FORGIVEN OF ALL OF HIS SINS FOREVER RELATIVE TO ETERNAL LIFE
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
"Unlike the other high priests, He [Jesus Christ] does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself."
(v. 26b) "But now He [Christ] has appeared once for all [mankind] at the end of the ages [i.e., effective for all ages] to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
(v. 27) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
(v. 28) so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people [=all mankind, (ref. v. 26b & 1 Jn 2:2)]; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him [i.e., to those who have believed]."
Since our Lord has paid the penalty for "the sins of the whole world";
and since He has done this "once for all" with the "end of the ages" in view
then the sins of the whole world - past, present & future have been totally paid for by Jesus Christ. Thus no more sacrifice/payment for sins is left, not even for the future sins of every individual who will ever live.
b) THE
BELIEVER HAS BEEN PERSONALLY FORGIVEN OF ALL SINS PAST, PRESENT
& FUTURE AT THE POINT OF FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE []
"All the prophets testify about Him [Christ] that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
Since all sins have been paid for in the individual's life, past, present and future
Then forgiveness of sins at the point of believing in Jesus Christ has all sins past, present and future in view since all sins have already are in view as having been paid for - they all have been taken into account on the cross at Calvary and forgiven at the point of believing.
(v. 1:7) "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."
(v. 4:32) "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Notice that those in Christ, He "forgave" = "echarisato" = aorist, once for all time.
"When you were dead in your sins and and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins."
Since there is no qualification here as to a the particular sins forgiven, such as only those up to the point when one is "made... alive with Christ" then an unqualified all sins past, present and future are in view.
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption [i.e., the forgiveness of sins, (Col 1:14)] of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory."
Notice that all sins past, present and future have been forgiven at the point of "Having believed" in "the gospel of your salvation" because at that point the individual is "marked in Him [Jesus Christ] with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption [i.e., the forgiveness of sins]" So all sins are redeemed, i.e., forgiven at the point of believing not just some - otherwise there could be no guarantee by the Holy Spirit.
c) FORGIVENESS OF SINS = FORGIVENESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL HIMSELF, HIS INTRINSIC SINFUL NATURE
Since all men's sins are paid for then anyone who goes to the Lake of Fire does not go in order to make payment for his sins but because his sins were not forgiven. The phrase 'forgiveness of one's sins' is a figure of speech. An action per say is not literally something that can be called upon to be forgiven, it is simply an action. An event in time cannot be addressed to do anything like be forgiven. Instead the individual who committed those sins, i.e., his intrinsic sinful nature is in view; his soul which generated those acts of sin needs forgiveness - the person himself. Once that individual has expressed his faith alone in Christ alone he is forgiven of committing all acts of sin past, present and future as a result of having been declared, (but not yet made), absolutely righteous by God, (Acts 10:43, Ro 3:22). Then that individual is declared by God, (but not yet made), perfectly righteous as Jesus Christ, (Ro 3:22)
Since complete & total forgiveness of sins, past, present & future is necessary in order to have eternal life
and
since one is "included [permanently] in Christ" & sealed by the Holy Spirit unto eternal redemption at the point of believing in the gospel of salvation, [faith alone in Christ alone, (Jn 3:16; Eph 1:13-14; 2:8-9)]
then
the believer must have received complete & total forgiveness of sins, (i.e., of his person), at the moment he became a believer. Thus nothing more need be done by the believer to further secure forgiveness of any sins in order to receive eternal life -past, present & future.
5) THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY JOINED TO CHRIST VIA HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM AS PART OF HIS BODY
The born again believer is immediately and forever joined to the Lord Jesus Christ - a part of His Body through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
a) [Eph 1:13-14, 22-23; 4:15-16]:
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him [in Christ] with a Seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance [of redemption, i.e., eternal life] until the redemption of those who are God's possession [i.e., all of the elect] - to the praise of His glory."
(v. 22) "And God placed all things under His [Christ's] feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church,
(v. 23) which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills everything in every way."
(v. 4:15) "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, that is, Christ.
(v. 4:16) From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
(v. 27) "For all of you who were baptized into Christ [i.e., all of you who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit] have clothed yourselves with Christ.
(v. 28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
To paraphrase: 'You who are believers in this age are all new creations as part of the body of Christ, neither Jew, nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female. Old things have passed away relative to your old position in Adam and now your new position in Christ and your brand new uniqueness to God as being part of the Body of Christ.'
"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and were all given the one Spirit to drink."
"It is because of Him [God, (v. 27)] that you are in Christ Jesus, Who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."
6) THE BELIEVER IS NOT UNDER LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE HE HAS A NEW FREEDOM IN CHRIST
a) CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW
"Christ is the end of the Law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes."
(v. 5) "Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses.
(v. 6) The apostles and elders met to consider this questiion.
(v. 7) After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
(v. 8) God, Who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
(v. 9) He made no distinction between us and them, for He purified their hearts by faith.
(v. 10) Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disiples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
(v. 11) No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
"Because you [believers] are not under law [= "upo nomon"= not under any rules of behavior] but under grace [= unmerited favor]"
(v. 2) "For example, by law [the Mosaic Law, (v. 1)] a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.
(v. 3) So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.
(v. 4) So, my brothers, you also died to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him Who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
(v. 5) For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the Law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.
(v. 6) But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the Law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."
(v. 13) "When you [believers, (v. 11)] were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
(v. 14) having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross."
While God is Father of all men, not all men are children of God in the sense of being "born again" [lit. 'born from above'] into His heavenly family. Those who are spiritually dead cannot have an intimate relationship with God until they become spiritually alive.
It is true that all men are His sons in the sense that He made them in His image and provides for them...(Gen 1:26-30)..........
Even after man rebelled through Adam and Eve, (Gen 3:16-19), God still provides for all men, (Mt 5:45b; Ps 65:9-13; 147:8-9; Acts 14:16-17; Jer 5:24).....................
And there are times when man's sin robs specific men of God's provision and times when God's wrath and judgment witholds His provision....................................
But men are His sons in the full sense only as they respond in faith to what He did for them through His Son, Jesus Christ, in order to overcome man's rebellion (his sin). Cp Gal 3:22-4:7; Ro 3:19-25a. The children of God then are those who believe on the name of Jesus Christ - those who cease to rely on their own merits and achievements and put their trust in Christ to save them instead.
b) BELIEVERS WERE PREDESTINED TO BE ADOPTED AS GOD'S SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
(v. 4) "For He [God] chose us [believers] in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love
(v. 5) He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will"
c) ONE IS BORN OF GOD FROM ABOVE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM THROUGH THE ACTION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
(v. 3) Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(v. 5) Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and [out of] the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(v. 6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' "
"and spirit" = 'and [out of] the spirit', i.e. out of the realm of the spirit:
"ean-me tis ........gennthe ex ..hudatos
"unless ...anyone be born out of water"
kai ...[*ex]...................................pneumatos"
"and [*out of the realm of the] spirit" = refers to this whole process of God sprinkling "clean water" on Nicodemus and cleansing him of all idols and putting a new [born again] spirit in him and giving him a "heart of flesh" replacing his "heart of stone" and putting His Spirit in him and moving him to follow God's decrees, (Ez 36:24-27). And all of this is done not in the physical realm but the spiritual: 'out of the realm of the spiritual':
"kai [*ex] pneumatos" = "and [out of the realm of the] spiritual"
*Notice that the Greek preposition "ex" applies to "pneumatos" = "spirit" as well as "hudatos" = "water".
And to clarify this our Lord immediately makes this distinction between the spiritual realm of being born again and the physical realm of physical birth:
i cont.) [Jn 3:3-6 cont.]:
(v. 5) Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and spirit.
(v. 6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit' ".
One is born again in the spiritual realm as opposed to the physical realm. So it requires another birth, one which is out of the renewing work of the Holy Spirit and out of the realm of the spiritual, to become born again. This birth is brought about only by the Spirit, God the Holy Spirit in the spiritual realm.
In Jn 3:6, Jesus reiterates His answer to Nicodemus' question of "How can a man be born when he is old." so that Nicodemus will not miss it:
"Flesh gives birth to flesh [the physical birth] but the Spirit [God the Holy Spirit] gives birth to [your dead] spirit in the spiritual realm." There are two distinct realms: One is fallen man, the flesh, and the other is of God, the Holy Spirit, in the spiritual realm. A fallen man cannot regenerate himself, (be reborn), he needs a divine operation in a spiritual realm. Only God the Holy Spirit can regenerate a dead human spirit. Man can do nothing, the words are clear. So such actions as water baptism, committing one's life to Christ, going to church regularly, etc., being in the realm of the flesh will do nothing to effect an action in the spiritual realm, i.e., to become born again with an alive human spirit.
"He [God our Savior, (v. 4)] saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
(v. 6) Whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
(v. 7) so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
"regeneration" = "paliggenesias" = new birth, from "palin" = again and "genesis" = birth.
Notice that the exclusive Agent of this renewing - of this regeneration - is God Himself - God the Holy Spirit!
d) ALL BELIEVERS ARE CHILDREN OF GOD
(v. 14) "Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
(v. 15) For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship [i.e., adoption]. And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'
(v. 16) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children."
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."
(v. 4) "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law,
(v. 5) to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
v. 6) Because you [believers, (v. 3:15)] are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit Who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'
(v. 7) So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."
(12) Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God"
"He gave the authority to become children of God...to those who believe on His name" =
Jesus Christ enables an individual to become a child of God, i.e., inherit eternal life, simply when that individual trusts alone in His plan of salvation which is believing alone in Him alone.
"yet to all who received Him ...to those who believe on His name" = Yet to all who receive Christ, i.e., who believe on His name: This phrase is saying that to receive Christ requires only that one believe on His name, i.e., His authority and capacity to save one unto eternal life.
John is saying that people are not naturally children of God in the sense of being "born again' into God's family. They can become children of God by simply believing in the name of Jesus Christ - His authority and capacity to save them unto eternal life. Compare Gal 3:26-29, 4:7, 6:10; Eph 1:4-5; Ro 8:23. Then as a child of God, one is given the right, the authority and privileges of a member of the family of God, of which many are being examined in this section of this study.
In accordance with the way our sovereign God has established things, a child of God may or may not exercise his authority, rights and privileges even though he has been given such and is commanded by God to do so.
So when one is born again, i.e., born of the Spirit through faith alone in Christ alone, one becomes a child of God. And the final step of sonship is the redemption of our bodies so that we might receive our perfect body. This is described as being adopted as sons of God:
"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
8) THE BELIEVER HIMSELF AND HIS SERVICE TO THE LORD IS NOW ACCEPTABLE TO GOD
(v. 9) "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
(v. 10) nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
(v. 11) And that is what some of your were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
(v. 25) "Husbands love our wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
(v. 26) to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water [the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5] through the Word,
(v. 27) and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
(v. 4) "As you come to Him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him -
(v. 5) you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
9) THE BELIEVER IS JUSTIFIED, I.E., DECLARED ABSOLUTELY RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S SIGHT, HAVING BEEN ACCOUNTED BY GOD AS HAVING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST WHEN THAT INDIVIDUAL TRUSTED IN GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION: THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST ALONE
(v. 21) "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, [(no article) = rules of conduct, i.e., works] has been made known, to which the Law and Prophets testify.
(v. 22) This righteousness from God [= an absolutely perfect righteousness] comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."
(v. 8) "What is more, I [Paul, (v. 8) & all believers, (v. 3)] consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
(v. 9) and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from law [(no article) = rules of conduct, , i.e., works] but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
And being justified is to be considered according to Scripture as being saved unto eternal life:
(v. 8) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(v. 9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."
"God made Him [Christ, (v.v. 19-20] Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
a) BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR TO GOD IN POSITION
(v. 4) "But because of His great love for us, God. Who is rich in mercy,
(v. 5) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression - it is by grace you have been saved.
(v. 6) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus"
(v. 11) "Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves' the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men) -
(v. 12) remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
(v. 13) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."
So when an individual trusts alone in Christ alone unto eternal life, God then places him so near to Himself that that new born child of God is actually placed into His Son, Jesus Christ via the baptism of the Holy Spirit, (Eph 1:13-14).
(v. 19) "Therefore, brothers [believers, (v. 19b-21)]), since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
(v. 20) by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body,
(v. 21) and since we have a great Priest over the house of God,
(v. 22) let us draw near
to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our
bodies washed with pure water [i.e., having become born again via God
the Holy Spirit []."
[Notice that this passage states that since you have become born again, then draw near to God in your experience as the next several verses stipulate such in specific ways[:
(v. 23) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope [of salvation] we profess, for He Who promised is faithful.
(v. 24) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day [of the Lord, i.e., the Rapture] approaching."
11) THE BELIEVER STANDS DELIVERED FROM DARKNESS:
PERMANENTLY DELIVERED FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN RELATIVE TO HIS OWN ETERNAL DESTINY
POTENTIALLY DELIVERED FROM THE RULING POWER OF DARKNESS IN HIS DAILY WALK
AND POTENTIALLY DELIVERED FROM THE DARKNESS OF BEING BLINDED TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF TRUTHS FROM GOD'S WORD
(v. 13) "For He [God the Father, (v. 11)] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,
(v. 14) in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
"Darkness" = sin, evil, blindness to understanding of truth, etc.
The following phrases from this passage narrow down the applicable meaning of the word "darkness" here in this context:
"For He has rescued us from the dominion [rulership] of darkness"
[And as a result]:
"brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves"
[i.e., the Kingdom of heaven]
[And in view of this rescue]:
"We [who have been rescued] have redemption, the forgiveness of sins".
So darkness in this passage is portrayed as having dominion over one. Being rescued from it results in being brought into the kingdom of heaven, receiving possession of "redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Therefore, darkness here in Col 1:13-14 = sin, evil and the consequences thereof.
"But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble."
(v. 8) "For you [believers, (v. 1)] were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
(v. 9) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
(v. 10) and find out what pleases the Lord.
(v. 11) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."
i cont.) [Col 1:13-14 cont.]:
(v. 13) "For He [God the Father, (v. 11)] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,
(v. 14) in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness" =
Permanently saved unto eternal life.
Considering the verb "has rescued" is "errusato" = aorist tense [completed action in the past], middle voice [acting in one's own interest], indicative mood [statement of fact], 3 pers singular, then this becomes a statement of permanent position establishing the believer's standing of having been rescued from the dominion or rule of the power of darkness, i.e., sin = the sin nature within, the world and devil without. In light of the fact that no believer can claim to be sinlessly perfect, [1 Jn 1:8, 10], this phrase in Col 1:13 cannot be stipulating being absolutely rescued, i.e., delivered from sin in one's daily experience but must have one's eternal standing with God in heaven in view.
(v. 9) "But you [believers] are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
b) THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN POTENTIALLY DELIVERED FROM THE RULING POWER OF DARKNESS IN HIS DAILY WALK
(v. 11) "In Him [Christ, (v. 9)] you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the [darkness of the] sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,
(v. 12) having been buried with Him in [Holy Spirit] baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, Who raised Him from the dead."
Notice that that spiritual circumcision is defined as "putting off of the sinful nature". And this was accomplished by Christ Himself [through Holy Spirit baptism, (v. 12; Ro 6:4)] at the moment, the passage says, when one expressed ones faith alone in Christ alone.
"We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into [His] death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
The death of Christ
provides the believer with the new freedom to choose to live a new and
godly life or revert to slavery to the old ungodly one. So verse 4 in
Romans chapter 6 verifies that this union with Jesus Christ via Holy
Spirit baptism means that the believer is credited with sharing the
benefits of Christ's death, burial and resurrection which includes
complete forgiveness, the crediting to him of the righteousness of
Christ and the provision of the enablement to live a new and godly
life. []
(v. 3) "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
(v. 4) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God. [Cp Eph 2:1-2]
(v. 5) For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
(v. 6) For God, Who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
(v. 6) "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
(v. 7) No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
(v. 8) None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
(v. 9) However, as it is written:
'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him'
(v. 10) but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
(v. 11) For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
(v. 12) We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit Who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
(v. 13) This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
(v. 14) The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
(v. 15) The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
(v. 16) 'For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?' [Isa 40:13]. But we [believers] have the mind of Christ. [i.e., the Spirit of God within us]."
12) BELIEVERS ARE SEATED IN HEAVEN ON DISPLAY AS EXAMPLES OF GOD'S INCOMPARABLE GRACE
"For He [God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves."
"has rescued" = "errusato" = aorist tense, i.e., completed action, i.e., the believer is completely, permanently rescued from the dominion of darkness, i.e., the Lake of Fire.
"brought us" = "metestEsen" = aorist tense, i.e., completed action, i.e., the believer is completely and permanently brought into the kingdom.
(v. 4) "But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy,
(v. 5) made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
["you have been saved" = "este sesOsmenoi" = present tense + perfect participle signifying having been completely saved in the past with ongoing present results forever, i.e., eternally secure in heaven]
(v. 6) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms."
[ "raised us up...and seated us" = sunEgeiren kai sunekathisen = aorist tense, i.e., completed action, i.e., the believer is viewed by God as already, completely and permanently raised up and seated in heaven with our Lord]
(v. 7) in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in Hiskindness to us in Christ Jesus.
(v. 8) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this [salvation is] not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"
13) BELIEVERS ARE GOD'S POSSESSION
(v. 9) "But you [believers, (v. 7)] are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
(v. 10) Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
14) THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN GIVEN AS A GIFT TO OUR LORD BY GOD THE FATHER
(v. 1) "Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son, that your Son may glorify You.
(v. 2) For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him...
(v. 6) I have revealed You to those Whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your word.
(v. 7) Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.
(v. 8) For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
(v. 9) I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they are yours."
15) BELIEVERS OF THE CHURCH AGE HAVE A UNIQUE PRIESTHOOD: THEIR OWN PRIVATE PRIESTHOOD DIRECTLY BEFORE GOD
"But you [believers] are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
(v. 5) "And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood,
(v. 6) and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."
(v. 19) "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.."
16) BELIEVERS IMMEDIATELY BECOME CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
(v. 20) "But our [believers' (v. 1)] citizenship is in heaven. and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."
(v. 4) "But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy,
(v. 5) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
(v. 6) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."
[i.e., God judicially and positionally placed the believer with Christ in heaven at the point that that believer trusted in Christ as Savior]
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household."
17) BELIEVERS WILL REFLECT THE GLORY OF GOD
(v. 18) "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
(v. 30) And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."
"When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
(v. 20) "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
(v. 21) Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body."
18) BELIEVERS IMMEDIATELY HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD
(v. 1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(v. 2) through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."
"For through Him [Christ (vv. 13-14)] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
(v. 9) "However, as it is written:
'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him'
(v. 10) but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit."
[Notice that believers indeed do have access to God in a number of ways, not the least of which is direct revelation through God the Holy Spirit]
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
[Note that a believer has access to God's throne of grace]
(v. 19) "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place [God's throne of grace, (cp. Heb 4:16)] by the blood of Jesus [i.e., those who have trusted in Christ as Savior = believers]
(v. 20) by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body"
"In Him [Christ, (v. 11)] and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."
a) ALL INDIVIDUALS IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE POSSESSION OF ETERNAL LIFE, I.E., ARE SAVED WHEN THEY BELIEVE
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son [Jesus Christ] that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
"Whoever believes" = lit., whoever is one who is a believer, i.e., one who expresses a single moment of faith alone in Christ alone being given (on the cross) for you (your sins).
"Should not perish" = one who believes in the Son immediately enters a state of never perishing (completed action verb).
"Should have everlasting life" = the believer immediately begins possession (pres. tense verb) of everlasting life, FOREVER (since it is everlasting in duration).
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
"you have been saved.." = "este sesosmenoi..."
Paul deliberately uses a periphrastic construction, lit. in English: you are saved having been completely saved in the past with ongoing results in the present. Paul uses an auxiliary verb = "este" = "you are saved, 2nd pers., plur., pres. active voice, indicative mood, (statement of fact) along with "sesosmenoi" = saved, participle, perfect tense passive voice rather than the normative inflected form of the verb to be saved in the past tense in order to stress the point of permanency.
"through faith" = through belief; one is saved through the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by God about His Son, (1 Jn 5:9-13), resting solely and implicitly on His authority and veracity.
b) ALL BELIEVERS HAVE INHERITED ETERNAL LIFE NO
MATTER WHAT []
(v. 3) "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(v. 4) and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil of fade - kept in heaven for you,
(v. 5) who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
(v. 6) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
(v. 7) These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
["your faith... which perishes" = all believers' faith will eventually perish in order to have it Replaced with the "inheritance that can never perish, spoil of fade - kept in heaven for you." This is not speaking of loss of faith in Christ except with a replacement of this temporal belief in Him with one's eternal relationship with Him when one goes to be with Him in heaven]
(v. 8) Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
(v. 9) for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory."
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
(v. 14) "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
(v. 15) For this reason Christ is the Mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory.
(v. 18) I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints."
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
(v. 18) "And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.
(v. 24) Now I rejoiced in what was suffered from you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church.
(v. 25) I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the Word of God in its fullness"
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."
d) ALL BELIEVERS WILL BE GLORIFIED AND THUS INHERIT A GLORIFIED BODY JUST LIKE THE LORD'S
(v. 29) "For those God forknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.
(v. 30) And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."
(v. 51) "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -
(v. 52) in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
(v. 53) For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality."
"When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
(v. 9) "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
(v. 10) And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
(v. 11) being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
(v. 12) giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
(v. 23) "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
(v. 24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?"
Note that it is the believer who demonstrates his love of God through faithful obedience who will inherit co-ownership of the kingdom of God with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
f) BELIEVERS ARE HEIRS OF GOD AND CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST
"Now if we [believers, (v. 16)] are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if [since, 1st class] indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory."
"So you [believers] are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."
"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs [of eternal life] according to the promise."
"So that,
having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the
hope of eternal life."
(v. 1) "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.
(v. 8) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
(v. 9) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
(v. 10) and find out what pleases the Lord."
(v. 5) "This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.
(v. 6) If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
(v. 7) But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."
(v. 4) "But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
(v. 5) You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
(v. 6) So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
(v. 7) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
(v. 8) But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet."
21) BELIEVERS ARE NO LONGER APPOINTED TO SUFFER GOD'S WRATH
(v. 8) "But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
(v. 9) For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."
[Notice that the believer will not be subjected to the wrath of God, but rather receive salvation through Jesus Christ]
(v. 9) "Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him!"
(v. 9) "I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have lived you.
(v. 10a) since you have kept my command to endure patiently.
[Note that verse 10a is part of the rest of verse 9 and verse 10b begins a new thought]:
(v. 10b) I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth."
[Notice that even that wrath of God which is proclaimed as a future event will not come upon any church age believers]
22) ALL BELIEVERS ARE PERMANENTLY AND ETERNALLY UNITED TO OUR TRIUNE GOD
(v. 4) "There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called -
(v. 5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
(v. 6) one God and father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all [believers, (v. 4)]."
(v. 16) "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you [the disciples before Jesus' crucifixion] another Counselor to be with you forever -
(v. 17) the Spirit of truth. the world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. [Ref. Ac 1:8; 2:1-4]
(v. 18) I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
(v. 19) Before long, the world will not see Me anymore; but you will see Me. Because I live, you will also live.
(v. 20) On that day you will realize that I am in the Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.' "
[Notice that our Lord indicates to the disciples {and this is true of all believers, (ref. Eph 1:13-14)} that they all will have the Holy Spirit come into them, that they all will live forever with Him because our Lord lives, and that as a result of these things, 'on that day' the disciples will realize that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the Father and they are in the Lord and He is in them, hence they will also live in the sense of have eternal life. They are united to the Triune God via the indwelling Spirit.]
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."
(v. 20) "My [Jesus' (v. 1)] prayer is not for them [the disciplers, (v. 6)] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message [i.e., all believers, (cp. v. 8)],
(v. 21) that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me [in His perfect humanity] and I am in You [by virtue of baptism of the Holy Spirit in His perfect humanity, (v. Mt 3:16)]. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
(v. 22) I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as We are one:
[Notice that Jesus Christ has given the disciples and all believers, (vv. 8, 20), the characteristic of the glory of God: that which reflects the holiness of God, His Righteousness and Justice. And this quality of the glory of God was first given by God the Father to the Son in His perfect humanity via the work of the Holy Spirit, i.e. Holy Spirit baptism. Note Jesus Christ in His diety being eternally God and uncreated has always had this glory as an attribute]
(v. 23) I in them and You in Me
["I in them" = The glory of God and the Person of Jesus Christ via Holy Spirit baptism indwells "in them", (Eph 1:13-14; Jn 14:16-17).
"and You in Me" = and the glory of God indwells "in"our Lord in His perfect humanity via the work of the Holy Spirit, (ref. Mt 3:16)]
May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me."
Just as participants in the Olympics can be, (but such is only rarely the case), one in the spirit of true and fair competition to determine who will truly be the best in each event - setting aside differences of religion, race, creed, nationality, etc. and in effect becoming one in spirit, purpose and direction relative to the true and fair competition of each event in such Olympics;
so it can be said that believers and God can be one in the sense of demonstrating in the believers' mortal and eternal lifetimes the glory of God, His holiness and justice - following the example of our Lord in His perfect humanity Who lived perfectly in such oneness with God. He demonstrated His holiness in His walk as the GodMan on earth, not in an infinite sense as God is omnipotent but in the finite sense within which our Lord's perfect Humanity, (not His diety), is limited. Such is to be the case in the believer's life, but there are no guarantees until the rapture transforms all believers into beings of sinless perfection.
(v. 24) '''The Jews gathered around Him, saying, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, [Messiah] tell us plainly,"
(v. 25) Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in My Father's name speak for me,
[Notice that our Lord in His perfect Humanity performed miracles in the name of the Father - a manifestation of His being one with the Father as He states in verse 30, i.e., doing the Father's will as it is His own will]
(v. 26) but you do not believe because you are not My sheep.
(v. 27) My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
[As opposed to those who did not believe, (v. 26), and were not His sheep. Those that listened to His voice, Who follow Him, i.e., believed in Him as it stipulates in v. 26 (to saved them unto eternal life as Messiah / Savior and hence were given eternal life on the basis of v. 26 by faith alone]:
(v. 28) I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.
(v. 29) My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand.
(v. 30) I and the Father are one.
[Notice that being one with the Father has in view singleness in purpose and deed: the Son willing to and doing what the Father would have Him do]:
(v. 31) Again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him,
(v. 32) but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?"
(v. 33) "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God?"
(v. 34) Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'?
(v. 35) If he
[the author of Psalms] called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came
[representatives of God's authority and Word on earth including the
Prophets, (Ps 82:1-6) ] - and the Scripture cannot be broken -
[Jesus was doing two things:
1) demonstrating that the Jews didn't understand their own Scriptures,
so were in no condition to condemn Him for saying that He was God;
[even though that is precisely Who He claimed to be by virtue of His
words and miraculous actions] and
2) showing them the depths and horror of their rebellion."]
(v. 36) what about the One Whom the Father set apart as His very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse Me of blasphemy because I said 'I am God's Son'?
(v. 37) Do not believe Me unless I do what My Father does.
(v. 38) But If I do it, even though you do not believe Me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." '''
23)
BELIEVERS IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF GOD THE HOLY
SPIRIT FOREVER
(v. 21) "Now it is God Who makes us and you [= all believers, (v. 1:1)] firm in Christ. [i.e., all believers are eternally secure in Him] He anointed us,
(v. 22) set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts [=minds, i.e., our awareness of His presence within us] as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory."
[Notice that at the point of believing the gospel of salvation, i.e., of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life, (Jn 3:16; Eph 2:8-9), the Holy Spirit "included" the believer "in Christ" (i.e., into His Body, the Church, (1 Cor 12:12-13). The Holy Spirit Himself thus became the Mark of a Seal in the believer by actually indwelling the believer with His Personal Presence, i.e., Holy Spirit baptism. This action signifies God's absolute guarantee of the believer's inheritance of eternal life - his final stage of redemption into His perfect and eternal body, (1 Cor 15:51-54) and such action establishes that all believers are God's possession forever!!, (2 Cor 5:5; Eph 4:30)]
(5:5) "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.
(8:9) "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. and if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."
[Notice that since all believers "belong to Christ," then all believers have the Spirit of God living in them]
God the Holy Spirit permanently indwells the believer and seals him in Christ unto eternal life at the point of that believer's trusting in Christ as his Personal Savior sealing him until the day of his final redemption:
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal....
"seal" = A seal means something which is permanently affixed, not to be broken until the final act of salvation is accomplished - that of going to be with the Lord in heaven in a perfect state of righteousness - a perfect body, soul and spirit.
Notice that at the point of believing the gospel of salvation, i.e., of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life, (Jn 3:16; Eph 2:8-9), the Holy Spirit "included" the believer "in Christ" (i.e., into His Body, the Church, (1 Cor 12:12-13). The Holy Spirit Himself thus became the Mark of a Seal in the believer by actually indwelling the believer with His Personal Presence, i.e., Holy Spirit baptism. This action signifies God's absolute guarantee of the believer's inheritance of eternal life - his final stage of redemption into His perfect and eternal body, (1 Cor 15:51-54) and such action establishes that all believers are God's possession forever!!
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
a cont.) [Eph 1:13-14 cont.]:
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those Who are God's possession to the praise of His glory."
"Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those Who are God's possession to the praise of His glory" =
God Himself seals the believer's eternal destiny with Him in heaven at the moment that that person trusts in Christ as his Personal Savior. He seals each believer "until the redemption of those who are God's possession" = until the experiential redemption of all believers when they finally receive their perfect bodies.
All believers are promised by God to be redeemed at the point of their trusting in Christ as Savior - this is called positional redemption: believers are permanently placed by God in the legal position of already having been saved. After this, in God's time, according to His plan of the ages, each believer will receive his resurrection body.
(v. 4) "But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy,
(v. 5) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
(v. 6) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."
[i.e., God judicially and positionally placed the believer with Christ in heaven at the point that that believer trusted in Christ as Savior]
a cont.) [Eph 1:13-14 cont.]:
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those Who are God's possession to the praise of His glory."
"until the redemption of those Who are God's possession to the praise of His glory." =
"those Who are God's possession." = that's you & I - as believers:
(v. 12) "Yet to all who received Him, to those Who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God [Compare Ro 8:16]:
"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children."
(v. 21) "Now He Who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God.
(v. 22) Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge."
25) THE BELIEVER BECOMES COMPLETE IN CHRIST
(v. 9) "For in Christ [i.e., being indwelt with the Son of God through Holy Spirit baptism, (Eph 1:13-14)] all the fullness of the Diety lives in bodily form,
(v. 10) and you have been given fullness in Christ, Who is the Head over every power and authority.
Just as a man is made complete when he is joined to a woman in marriage so the two are to grow as one into a mature and loving relationship with one another...
(v. 31) "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.
(v. 32) This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church."
So God created the believer of this church age to be complete in Christ in the sense that that individual, once he becomes part of the body of Christ needs nothing else to be the complete individual which God created him to be. And he is to grow in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of god becoming mature - attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(v. 11) "It was He [Christ, (v. 7)] Who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
(v. 12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
(v. 13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
26) BELIEVERS ARE ALL RECIPIENTS OF THEIR SHARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS
(v. 7) "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
(v. 11) It was He Who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
(v. 12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
(v. 7) "Now to each one [believers, (v. 1)] the manifiestation of hte Spirit is given for the common good.
(v. 8) To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
(v. 9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
(v. 10) to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
(v. 11) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines."
(v. 5) "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
(v. 6) Who gave Himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time."
(v. 22) "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
(v. 23) to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.
(v. 24) to Jesus the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."
"Mediator" = One Who settles the differences between parties by intervention.
"One Mediator between God and man" = Jesus Christ, "The Mediator of the New Covenant" = the One Who settled the differences between God and man via His shed blood of the New Covenant.
Jesus Christ paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, which in settles part of the differences between God and all men, (1 Jn 2:2). The remaining differences are settled when the individual trusts alone in Christ alone as Savior, at which time every block of the wall between God and man is removed, notthe least of which are being placed from in Adam to in Christ and receiving personal forgiveness.
28) THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN RAISED WITH CHRIST - HIS LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD
(v. 1) "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God
(v. 2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(v. 3) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
(v. 1) "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
(v. 2) By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
(v. 3) Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
(v. 4) We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Notice that believers are identified with Christ raising from the dead through the glory of the Father in such a way that they too may live a new life.
29) THE BELIEVER IS MADE ALIVE WITH CHRIST - BECOMING SPIRITUALLY ALIVE
(v. 1) "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
(v. 2) in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
(v. 3) All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings or our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
(v. 4) But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy,
(v. 5) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved."
(v. 9) "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
(v. 10) But if [=since] Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, [i.e., you are no longer under the control of the sin nature], yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
[BKC, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord & Zuck Editors, Victor Books, USA, 1988, p. 470]:
"Verse 10... is a conditional statement in which in Greek the condition is assumed to be true; if can be understood as 'since' or 'because'. As a result of Christ's indwelling presence, your body is dead (or, 'subject to death'; cf. 7:24) because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. Because of God's imputed righteousness, a believer is alive spiritually. The eternal spiritual life of God is implanted by the indwelling Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ here and now, even though a believer's body is mortal."
(v. 8) "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.
(v. 9) For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.
(v. 10) The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.
(v. 11) In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
[BKC, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord & Zuck Editors, Victor Books, USA, 1988, p. 463]:
"These verses state much that same truth as verses 5-7 and in the same format, beginning with if ("since"). Those who by faith receive Jesus Christ and are indentified with Him have died with Christ (cf. vv. 3, 5). Because this is true, we believe (pres. tense... ) that we will also live with Him. The sharing of the resurrection life of Christ begins at the moment of regeneration, but it will continue as a believer shares eternity with the Lord. Again as a result we know ('eidotes' = intuitive knowledge,' = 'perceiving a self-evident truth' [cf. v. 15], not 'ginwskontes' = 'experimental or reflective knowledge' as in v. 6) that Christ's resurection was a removal from the sphere of physical death to an unending spiritual form of life. Having experienced physical death once and having been removed from its realm by resurrection life, Jesus cannot die again (lit., 'dies no more'). In resurrection Jesus Christ was victorious over death (Acts 2:24) and death no longer has mastery ('kyrieuei,' = 'rules as lord'; cf. Rom 6:14) over Him as it does over all othr human beings (John 10:17-18).
Paul summarized this discussion by stating that Jesus in His physical death...died to sin (i.e., in reference to sin) once for all ('ephapax,' cf. Heb 7:27; 9:12; 10:10). This stands in oppositionto the doctrine and practice of the so-called perpetual sacrifice of Christ in the Roman Catholic Mass. Contrariwise, the life He lives, He lives (pres. tense...) to God. Resurrection life is eternal in quality and everlasting in duration. Furthermore, God is its Source and also its Goal. What is true of Jesus Christ in reality and experience, believers who are identified with Him by faith are commanded to reckon true for themselves. They are to count themselves dead to (in reference to) sin but alive to God. Since they are dead to its power (Rom 6:2), they ought to recognize that fact and not continue in sin. Instead they are to realize they have a new life in Christ; they share His resurrection life (cf. Eph 2:5-6; Col 2:12-13)."
30) EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN THE SON TO SAVE HIM WILL NEVER BE LOST
(v. 39) "And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I shall lose no one of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.
(v. 40) For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVING DIED TO THE SIN NATURE DOES NOT SIGNIFY THAT THE SIN NATURE NO LONGER EXISTS, OR THAT IT CAN NO LONGER INFLUENCE THE BELIEVER
(v. 17) "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
(v. 18) You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
[The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT edition, Walvoord & Zuck eds, Victor Books, USA, 1988, p. 464]:
"This discussion reminded the Apostle Paul of what the grace of God had already accomplished in his readers' lives and he burst forth in praise. Before they responded to the gospel they had been slaves to sin, but they wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which they were entrusted.
[i.e., they believed in the gospel unto eternal life and added faithful actions thereafter]
...The result was that they have been set free from sin and have become slaves (past tense in Gr.) to righteousness (cf. Rom 6:22)."
(v. 1) "What shall we say, then? Are we to remain in sin that grace may be abounding?
(v. 2) Far be the thought! Such ones as we - who died to sin! how shall we any longer be living in it?'
"Such ones as we - who died to sin" =
[William R. Newell states, "ROMANS VERSE ~ BY ~ VERSE" Kregel Classics, Grand Rapids, Mi, 1994, p. 201]:
"Here we have... "such ones as we" (hoitines). This is more than a relative pronoun: it is a pronoun of characterization, 'placing those referred to in a class' (Lightfoot). Paul thus has before his mind all Christians, and he places this pronoun at the very beginning: 'such ones as we!' "
"sin" = singular = old sin nature. Scripture indicates that no believer will be sinless in this life, (1 Jn 1:8, 10). The plural word, 'sins' refers in Scripture to acts of sin. The word sin here, (singular) refers to that which is in man which generates those acts of sin = the 'sin nature', the 'flesh', the 'old man'.
''who died to sin" = have become unable to respond in such a way that one is under the absolute authority, i.e., the slavery of the sin nature - such that everything one does, even the 'good' things need be no longer motivated and contaminated by the indwelling sin nature.
[Newell, cont.]:
"He [Paul] characterizes all Christians as those 'who died.' The translation, 'are dead' is wrong, for the tense of the Greek verb is the aorist, which denotes not a state but a past act or fact [a completed action]. It never refers to an action as going on or prolonged. As Winer says, 'The aorist states a fact as something having taken place.' Note how strikingly and repeatedly this tense is used in this chapter as referring to the death of which the apostle speaks: Mark most particularly that the apostle in verse 2 does not call upon Christians to die to sin, but asserts that they shared Christ's death, they died to sin!"
Previously, in verse 5:21 we learned that the old sin nature in the individual reigned in death in the unsaved man's life, but now the believer is no longer under that reign; he has died, i.e., become separated from the rule of death of the sin nature through the grace of God through the righteousness of Jesus Christ:
(v. 21) "So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(v. 6) "For we know that our old man [the sin nature] was crucified with Him [i.e., "we died to sin", (Ro 6:2)] so that the body of sin [i.e., the sin nature] might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
[Notice that the death to sin is not extinction of sin in one's life but separation from one's slavery to the sin nature - which the believer may still choose to reenslave himself, cp Ro 6:12-14]:
(v. 7) because anyone who has died [been separated from the control of] has been freed from sin."
Just as an automobile can be described as having a dead battery, i.e., it has 'died to its battery', when that battery which is located in the car is no longer in charge of providing an electrical charge to start the engine;
so in the same way an individual can be described as having 'died to sin', when that sin nature which is located in that individual is no longer in charge of the lifestyle of the individual such that his behavior is evil all the time...
[while the sin nature is in charge, even the good that that individual does is contaminated with motivations coming out of the sin nature, (Isa 64:6)]
...so the individual is now "dead to sin" in the sense of no longer being subject to the rulership/control of the indwelling sin nature in everything he does.
However, just as one can choose to recharge the dead battery so that it can be in 'charge' again, so the believer can choose to re-enslave himself to his sin nature but now with a new arrangement:
The believer's voluntary enslavement is now under the overall sovereign rule of God the Holy Spirit Who reigns supreme in the believer's life no matter what the circumstances or choices that that believer makes:
(v. 9) "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
[and all believers have the Spirit of God living in them, (Eph 1:13-14) - so all are under the control of the Holy Spirit]
(v. 10) But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin [i.e., the believer is separated from the absolute control of the sin nature], yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness."
"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, [any rules of human conduct relative to salvation] but under [God's sovereign rule of] grace."
Paul reiterates here that believers are not under the sovereign control of the sin nature but under God's sovereign rule of grace.
So if the child of God is unfaithful he will be made subject to God's discipline until he repents via the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in him, (cp Heb 12:4-13).
So Paul answers in verse 1, the false objection that people make when thay say if an individual is saved by faith alone through grace alone without having to commit to some kind of 'holy' lifestyle then that individual would freely, i.e., without consequence, continue in sin in all that he does and all the more, i.e., he has a license to sin = he is still under the control of his old sin nature. Paul says, "By no means" (NIV) or "God forbid"(KJV), "me-genoito" = lit., "not happened" or "may it not be". Then he states that a Christian has died once and for all to the absolute authority of the old sin nature in his life.
Before this death to the sin nature, everything the individual did, even human good, was directed and contaminated by the sin nature:
"All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."
(v. 20) "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
(v. 21) What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
(v. 22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
(v. 23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
But now, once one becomes a believer, Paul says, 'How is it even possible that a believer who died to sin be living under its sovereign control any longer?' Recall that death always means separation never extinction. In the case in Ro 6:2, one is separated from the control of the old sin nature but this does not mean the extinction of the old sin nature within one (ref. Ro 7:21-25), nor does it mean that one cannot reinslave oneself to it. But that sin nature can never again be in absolute control of that individual; for the child of God is now under the absolute sovereignty of God the Holy Spirit through Holy Spirit Baptism:
30 cont.) BELIEVERS HAVE DIED TO, I.E., BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY - FROM THE SLAVERY TO - THEIR OLD SIN NATURES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES AND ARE NOW SLAVES TO THE RULE OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVING DIED TO THE SIN NATURE DOES NOT SIGNIFY THAT THE SIN NATURE NO LONGER EXISTS, NOR THAT IT CAN NO LONGER INFLUENCE THE BELIEVER
(v. 22) "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires
[Christians are commanded
to put off - to forsake - their natural tendency to sin - their old sin
nature - their "old self". This is to say that believers do retain
their old sin natures, "your former way of life...your old self", which
they must contend with daily, (Ro chapter 7) ].
(v. 23) to be made new in
the attitude of your minds [ cf. Ro 12:2]
(v. 24) and to put on the [brand] new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
The Christian as he grows
spiritually develops increased control over the old sin nature "through
the washing of the Water by the Word" = via the submission to the Word
and the work of God the Holy Spirit in him, (Eph 5:25, "water" = the
Spirit), permitting God the Holy Spirit to fill = control him, (Eph
5:5-18) . In doing this the Christian is able to
more effectively resist the ever present temptation to give temporary
control of himself to the sin nature, (Eph 4:17-5:21). All of the
disorientation, the confusion, the spiritual deceit that flows out of
the sin nature is thus neutralized during the moments when the believer
is controlled, i.e., filled with the Spirit", (Eph chapter five).
32) BELIEVERS ARE THE ENEMY OF SATAN
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
33) BELIEVERS ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE RULE OF SATAN
a) THE WHOLE WORLD IS UNDER SATAN'S CONTROL
"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."
"Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out."
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
(v. 1) "As for you, you [believers] were dead in your transgressions and sins,
(v. 2) in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
(v. 12) "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
(v. 13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
34) BELIEVERS ARE A NEW KIND OF CREATION - IN CHRIST JESUS AS PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in Him with a Seal, the promised Holy Spirit."
(v. 27) "For all of you who were baptized into Christ [i.e., all of you who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit] have clothed yourselves with Christ.
(v. 28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
'You who are believers in this age are all new creations as part of the body of Christ, neither Jew, nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female. Old things have passed away relative to your old position in Adam and now your new position in Christ and your brand new uniqueness to God as being part of the Body of Christ.'
"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
"new" = "kaine"
[Theological Dictionary of the NT, 1 Vol., Kittel & Friedrich, Eds, by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Eerdmans Publishing, 1985, p. 388]:
"As distinct from néos, 'new in time,' ['kaine', str 2537] means 'new in nature' (with an implication of 'better').", i.e., unique as opposed to renewed or improved over time.
To paraphrase:
'You who are believers in this age are all new creations as part of the body of Christ, neither Jew, nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female. Old things have passed away relative to your old position in Adam and now your new position in Christ and your brand new uniqueness to God as being part of the Body of Christ.'
[Dr. John Danish, Pastor, Berean Memorial Church]:
"These are not the ways and experiences of our unsaved days... but of our days in spiritual death under enslavement to the old sin nature... ["old" = "archaia"=] [The word "old" here] means that it existed from old times all the way from the beginning... ["passed away"= "parelthen"=] This word [which is translated as 'passed away' in the Greek Bible... is stated in a way that means [that] it came to an abrupt end. It didn't just gradually fade away... [So] it can't be your conduct which gradually might become better... 'Passed away' is an abrupt action... [indicating that something other than the sin nature has passed away. Otherwise, believers would always be absolutely sinless from the moment of their conversion] ["have become"=] [This verb is in the] perfect tense... [which] means that at some point in the past something happens and the results of that continues forever and ever and never stops... You have become a new creation in Christ Jesus and because [of] this tense it tells us that it starts and can never stop. That's another evidence that you can never lose your salvation..."
35) ONE WHO IS A BELIEVER HAS BECOME THE FRIEND OF GOD
"But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham My friend."
"And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' [Gen 15:6] and he was called God's friend. "
(v. 13) "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
(v. 14) You are my friends if you do what I command.
(v. 15) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you."
36) BELIEVERS OF THE CHURCH AGE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN OF GOD
a) CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS HAD BEEN CHOSEN OF GOD TO BE BELIEVERS AND RECEIVE ALL THE BLESSINGS THEREIN
(v. 4) "For He chose us in Him [Christ] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love
(v. 5) He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will."
(v. 28) "And we know that all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Observe that God's purpose is the key. It is His purpose that generates His decress resulting in His calling, His foreknowledge, His predestination, etc.
(v. 29) For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.
(v. 30) And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."
(v. 4) "For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you,
(v. 5) because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction."
b) CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS ARE DESIGNATED AS GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE
(v. 9) "But you are a chosen people, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of carkness into His wonderful light.
(v. 10) Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
"You did not choose Me, but I [Jesus] chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name."
(v. 8) "For we [believers, (vv. 8-9)] are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
38) BELIEVERS ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
(v. 16) "Don't you [believers, (v. 1)] know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"
(v. 9) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
(v. 20) you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
"What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.' "
39) BELIEVERS ARE ONE IN CHRIST AND ONE WITH GOD IN SPIRIT
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
(v. 15) "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ Himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
(v. 16) Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, 'The two will become one flesh.'
(v. 17) But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit."
(v. 15) " '[Jesus said] If you love Me, you will obey what I command.
(v. 16) And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -
(v. 17) the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.
(v. 18) I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
(v. 19) Before long, the world will not see Me anymore, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.
(v. 20) On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in You.
(v. 21) Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him.'
(v. 22) Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, 'But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?'
(v. 23) Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves Me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
(v. 24) He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father Who sent Me.
(v. 25) All this I have spoken while still with you.
(v. 26) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ' "
40) ALL BELIEVERS ARE SAINTS, SET APART TO GOD
"When He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed - for our testimony to you was believed.'
"Saints" = "hagios" = separated, set apart to God, as those who have been born again into the family of God as His children, declared righteous and sealed unto eternal life in Christ by God the Holy Spirit. Notice that saints are identified as 'all who have believed.'
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus"
"To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints"
"To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours."
The church of God at Corinth, i.e., believers are identified as 'saints by calling'.
"To the church of God in Corinth [all believers], together with all the saints throughout Achaia"
"To the church of God.... together with all the saints throughout Achaia" = Notice that those who are members of the local church in Corinth, i.e., believers, are equated with all the saints from the province of Achaia within which is located the city of Corinth. So all believers are saints.
41) BELIEVERS OF THE CHURCH AGE ARE GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE
(v. 9) "But you are a chosen people, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of carkness into His wonderful light.
(v. 10) Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
42) BELIEVERS ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
43) CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS ARE HOLY IN GOD'S SIGHT
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
(v. 25) "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gve Himself up for Her
(v. 26) to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word,
(v. 27) and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
44) BELIEVERS ARE ALIENS TO THE WORLD
"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul."
45) BELIEVERS WILL BE LIKE JESUS CHRIST
(v. 1) "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
(v. 2) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
(v. 5) "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection"
47) ALL BELIEVERS ARE PLACED INTO CHRIST
"It is because of Him [God, (v. 27)] that you are in Christ Jesus, Who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."
48) BELIEVERS HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST
(v. 15) "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
(v. 16) But we have the mind of Christ [i.e., the Spirit of God, (v. 14), Who teaches what the mind of Christ has revealed in God's Word]
49) ALL BELIEVERS HAVE RECEIVED HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM AT THE POINT OF TRUSTING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory."
[ ON BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT]
50) ALL BELIEVERS ARE VIEWED BY GOD AS HAVING DIED, BEEN BURIED AND RESURRECTED WITH HIS SON
(v. 3) "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
(v. 4) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
(v. 5) If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection."
(v. 14) "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
(v. 15) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
(v. 11) "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,
(v. 12) having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
(v. 13) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins."