Spiritual Man Vs. Natural Man

(See also, “Adam” in “Jesus Christ“ document)

Thomas Armitage, The History of the Baptists, Volume 1, “Chapter V. The King in Zion—Laws of the New Kingdom.” see pp. 67-68 deals with the new birth which makes one eligible to enter into the kingdom (excellent deals also w/separation of church and state and toleration; p64: Christ’s teachings were truth, not dogma. p64: “Christ persecuted no man, and allowed not his disciples to persecute….”).

N3 p91 to Exodus 17.8 [Amalek, grandson of Esau, a type of the flesh. The resources of man under law; law vs. grace described] “Amalek, grandson of Esau (Ge. 36.12), who was ‘born after the flesh” (Ga. 4.22-29) and progenitor of the Amalekites, Israel’s persistent enemy is a type of the flesh in the believer (Ga. 4.29)(“But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.””). But the conflict with Amalek in chapter 17 sets forth the resources of the man under law, rather than those of the believer under grace. The man under law could fight and pray (vs. 9-12). Under grace the Holy Spirit gains the victory over the flesh in the believer’s behalf (Ro. 8.2-4 (“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”); Ga. 5.16, 17 (“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”)); but this victory is only as the believer walks in the Spirit. Acting in independency or disobedience, Amalek gains an easy victory (Nu. 14.42-45). Like Saul we are prone to spare the flesh ( 1 S. 15.8, 9), forgetting Ro. 7.18. See “Flesh,” Jn. 1.13 (“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”), Jude 23 (“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”).)

See also, Dispensation of Law and Dispensation of Grace

N1 p1138 to John 16.12: “Christ’s pre-authentication of the New Testament: (1) He expressly declared that He would leave “many things” unrevealed (v. 12). (2) He promised that this revelation should be completed (“all things”) after the Spirit should come, and that such additional revelation should include new prophecies (v. 13). (3) He chose certain persons to receive such additional revelations, and to be His witnesses to them (Mt. 28.19; John 15.27; 16.13; Acts 1.8; 9.15-17). (4) He gave to their words when speaking for Him in the Spirit precisely the same authority as His own (Mt. 10.14, 15; Lk 10.16; John 13.20; see e.g., 1 Cor. 14.37, and “Inspiration,” Ex. 4.15; Rev. 22.19).”

N2 to 1 Co. 2.14, p1213 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (Paul divides men into three classes: psuchikos, “of the senses” Jas. 3:15; Jude 1:19 or “natural,” i.e. the Adamic man, unrenewed through the new birth John 3:3,5 pneumatikos, “spiritual,” i.e. the renewed man as Spirit-filled and walking in the Spirit in full communion with God Eph. 5:18-20 and sarkikos, “carnal,” “fleshly,” i.e. the renewed man who, walking “after the flesh,” remains a babe in Christ 1 Cor. 3:1-4. The natural man may be learned, gentle, eloquent, fascinating, but the spiritual content of Scripture is absolutely hidden from him; and the fleshly, or carnal, Christian is able to comprehend only its simplest truths, “milk” (1 Cor. 3:2.))

Natural: Paul’s characteristic word for the unrenewed man (1 Cor. 2.14).

N1 p1117 to John 3.3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Regeneration: (1) The necessity of the new birth grows out of the incapacity of the natural man to “see” or “enter into” the kingdom of God. However gifted, moral, or refined, the natural man is absolutely blind to spiritual truth, and impotent to enter the kingdom; for he can neither obey, understand, nor please God Joh 3:3,5-6; Ps 51:5; Jer 17:9; Mr 7:21-23; 1Co 2:14; Ro 8:7-8; Eph 2:3 Cmt. on Mt 6:33. (2) The new birth is not a reformation of the old nature Cmt. on Ro 6:6 but a creative act of the holy Spirit Joh 3:5; 1:12-13; 2Co 5:17; Eph 2:10; 4:24. (3) The condition of the new birth is faith in Christ crucified Joh 3:14; 1:12-13; Ga 3:24 (4) Through the new birth the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature and of the life of Christ Himself Ga 2:20; Eph 2:10; 4:24; Col 1:27; 1Pe 1:23-25; 2Pe 1:4; 1Jo 5:10-12).)

Sons of God, children of God: N1 p768 to Isa. 63.16. Cf. Isa. 1,2; 648. Israel, collectively, the national Israel, recognized God as the national father (cf. Ex. 4.22, 23). Doubtless the believing Israelite was born anew (cf. John 3.3, 5 with Luke 13.28), but the O.T. Scriptures show no trace of the consciousness of personal sonship. the explanation is given in Gal. 4.1-7. The Israelite, though a child, “differed nothing from a servant.” The Spirit, as the “Spirit of His Son,” could not be given to impart the consciousness of sonship until redemption had been accomplished (Gal. 4.4-6). See “Adoption” (Rom. 8.15; Eph. 1.5).

Gal. 3.26 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Ro. 8.14, 14-17, 21; “Romans 8:14-17: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” “Romans 8:21: Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Gal. 4.1-7: “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”.

N2 to Ep. 1.5, p 1250 (adoption): “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Adoption (huiothesia, “placing as a son”) is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer’s relation to God as a child results from the new birth Joh 1:12-13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Ga 4:1-5. The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer’s present experience Ga 4:6 but the full manifestation of the believer’s sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called “the redemption of the body” Ro 8:23; 1Th 4:14-17; Eph 1:14; 1Jo 3:2.).

N3 p1329 to Jude 23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Flesh, Summary: “Flesh,” in the ethical sense, is the whole natural or unregenerate man, spirit, soul, and body, as centered upon self, prone to sin, and opposed to God Ro 7:18. The regenerate man is not “in the sphere of the flesh,” but in the sphere of the Spirit Ro 8:9 but the flesh is still in him, and he may, according to his choice, “walk after the flesh” or “in the Spirit” 1Co 3:1-4; Ga 5:16-17. In the first case he is a “carnal,” in the second a “spiritual,” Christian. Victory over the flesh will be the habitual experience of the believer who walks in the Spirit Ro 8:2,4; Ga 5:16-17.)

N1 to Lu. 11.13, p1090 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (It is evident that none of the disciples, with the possible exception of Mary of Bethany, asked for the Spirit in the faith of this promise. It was a new and staggering thing to a Jew that, in advance of the fulfilment of Joel 2:28-29 all might receive the Spirit. Mary alone of the disciples understood Christ’s repeated declaration concerning His own death and resurrection Joh 12:3-7. Save Mary, not one of the disciples but Peter, and he only in the great confession Mt 16:16 manifested a spark of spiritual intelligence till after the resurrection of Christ and the impartation of the Spirit John 20:22; Ac 2:1-4. To go back to the promise of Lu 11:13, is to forget Pentecost, and to ignore the truth that now every believer has the indwelling Spirit Ro 8:9,15; 1Co 6:19; Ga 4:6; 1Jo 2:20,27. Cmt. on Ac 2:4). Note. This is also below, in Scriptural order.

N1 p981 to Malachi 2.15 “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.” (Summary of the O.T. doctrine of the Holy Spirit: (1) The personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit appear from the attributes ascribed to Him, and from His works. (2) He is revealed as sharing the work of creation and therefore omnipotent Ge 1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4; Ps 104:30 as omnipresent Ps 139:7 as striving with men Ge 6:3 as enlightening Job 32:8 enduing with constructive skill Ex 28:3; 31:3 giving physical strength Jg 14:6,19 executive ability and wisdom Jg 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25 enabling men to receive and utter divine revelations Nu 11:25; 2Sa 23:2 and, generally, as empowering the servants of God Ps 51:12; Joe 2:28; Mic 3:8; Zec 4:6. (3) He is called holy Ps 51:11 good Ps 143:10 the Spirit of judgment and burning Isa 4:4 of Jehovah, of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, good, knowledge, the fear of the Lord Isa 11:2 and of grace and supplications Zec 12:10. (4) In the O.T. the Spirit acts in free sovereignty, coming upon men and even upon a dumb beast as He will, nor are the conditions set forth (as in the N.T.) by complying with which any one may receive the Spirit. The indwelling of every believer by the abiding Spirit is a N.T. blessing consequent upon the death and resurrection of Christ Joh 7:39; 16:7; Ac 2:33; Ga 3:1-6. (5) The O.T. contains prediction of a future pouring out of the Spirit upon Israel Ex 37:14; 39:29 and upon “all flesh” Joe 2:28-29. The expectation of Israel, therefore, was twofold–of the coming of Messiah-Immanuel, and of such an effusion of the Spirit as the prophets described. See Mt 1:18, refs.

N3 p10 to Genesis 4.1 “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” (Cain (“acquisition”) is a type of the mere man of the earth. His religion was destitute of any adequate sense of sin, or need of atonement. This religious type is described in 2 Pe 2. Seven things are said of him: (1) he worships in self-will; (2) is angry with God; (3) refuses to bring a sin offering; (4) murders his brother; (5) lies to God; (6) becomes a vagabond; (7) is, nevertheless, the object of the divine solicitude.)

N4 p10 to Genesis 4.2 “Genesis 4.2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” (Abel (“exhalation,” or, “that which ascends”) is a type of the spiritual man. His sacrifice, in which atoning blood was shed Heb 9:22 was therefore at once his confession of sin and the expression of his faith in the interposition of a substitute Heb 11:4.)

N1 to Ge. 5.1, p12 “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;” (Adam, as the natural head of the race Lu 3:38 is a contrasting type of Christ, the Head of the new creation. See Ro 5:14; 1Co 15:21-22,45-47. <Adam, as the natural head of the race Lu 3:38 is a contrasting type of Christ, the Head of the new creation. See Ro 5:14; 1Co 15:21-22,45-47.)

N2 p21 to Genesis 12.10 “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.” (A famine was often a disciplinary testing of God’s people in the land. (Cf) Ge 26:1; 42:5; Ru 1:1; 2Sa 24:13; Ps 105:16. The resort to Egypt (the world) is typical of the tendency to substitute for lost spiritual power the fleshly resources of the world, instead of seeking, through confession and amendment, the restoration of God’s presence and favour.)

N1 to Ge. 19.36, p30 “Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.” (Abraham and Lot are contrasted characters. Of the same stock Ge. 11:31 subjected to the same environment, and both justified men Ge. 15:6; 2Pe 2:7-8 the contrast in character and career is shown to be the result of their respective choices at the crisis of their lives. Lot “chose him all the plain of Jordan” for present advantage; Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations” Heb 11:10; Ge. 13:18 “came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre (fatness), which is in Hebron” (communion). The men remain types of the worldly and spiritual believer.)

N2 to Ge. 21.3, p31 “Genesis 21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac..” (2 Isaac is typical in fourfold way: (1) of the Church as composed of the spiritual children of Abraham Ga 4:28. (2) of Christ as the Son “obedient unto death” Ge 22:1-10; Php 2:5-8. (3) of Christ as the Bridegroom of a called-out bride see Gen 24; also, “Church,” Mt 16:18, Cmt. on Mt 16:18. (4) of the new nature of the believer as “born after the Spirit” Ga 4:29.)

N2 to Ge. 22.1, p32 “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.” (The spiritual experience of Abraham was marked by four great crises, each of which involved a surrender of something naturally most dear. These were: (1) Country and kindred Ge 12:1; Mt 10:34-39; 2Co 6:14-18. (2) His nephew, Lot; especially dear to Abraham by nature, as a possible heir and as a fellow believer 2Pe 2:7-8; Ge 13:1-18. The completeness of Abraham’s separation from one who, though a believer, was a “vessel unto dishonour,” is shown by Ge 15:1-3; 2Ti 2:20-21; Ac 15:36-40. (3) His own plan about Ishmael Ge 17:17-18; 1Ch 13:1-14; 15:1-2. (4) Isaac, “thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest” Ge 22:1-19; Heb 11:17-18.)

N2 to Ge. 24.1, p34 “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.” (The entire chapter is highly typical: (1) Abraham, type of a certain king who would make a marriage for his son Mt 22:2; Joh 6:44. (2) the unnamed servant, type of the Holy Spirit, who does not “speak of himself,” but takes of the things of the Bridegroom with which to win the bride Joh 16:13-14. (3) the servant, type of the Spirit as enriching the bride with the Bridegroom’s gifts Ga 5:22; 1Co 12:7-11. (4) the servant, type of the Spirit as bringing the bride to the meeting with the Bridegroom Ac 13:4; 16:6-7; Ro 8:11; 1Th 4:14-16. (5) Rebekah, type of the Church, the ecclesia, the “called out” virgin bride of Christ Ge 24:16; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-32. (6) Isaac, type of the Bridegroom, “whom not having seen,” the bride loves through the testimony of the unnamed Servant 1Pe 1:8. (7) Isaac, type of the Bridegroom who goes out to meet and receive His bride Ge 24:63; 1Th 4:14-16.)

N2 to Ge. 24.1, p34 “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.” (The entire chapter is highly typical: (1) Abraham, type of a certain king who would make a marriage for his son Mt 22:2; Joh 6:44; (2) the unnamed servant, type of the Holy Spirit, who does not “speak of himself,” but takes of the things of the Bridegroom with which to win the bride Joh 16:13-14; (3) the servant, type of the Spirit as enriching the bride with the Bridegroom’s gifts Ga 5:22; 1Co 12:7-11; (4) the servant, type of the Spirit as bringing the bride to the meeting with the Bridegroom Ac 13:4; 16:6-7; Ro 8:11; 1Th 4:14-16; (5) Rebekah, type of the Church, the ecclesia, the “called out” virgin bride of Christ Ge 24:16; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-32; (6) Isaac, type of the Bridegroom, “whom not having seen,” the bride loves through the testimony of the unnamed Servant 1Pe 1:8; (7) Isaac, type of the Bridegroom who goes out to meet and receive His bride Ge 24:63; 1Th 4:14-16.)

N1 to Genesis 25.25, p38 Genesis 25.25 “And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau” (Esau stands for the mere man of the earth. Heb 12:16-17. In many respects a nobler man, naturally, than Jacob, he was destitute of faith, and despised the birthright because it was a spiritual thing, of value only as there was faith to apprehend it.)

N2 to Genesis 25.31, p38 Genesis 25.31 “And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.” (The “birthright” had three elements: (1) Until the establishment of the Aaronic priesthood the head of the family exercised priestly rights. (2) The Abrahamic family held the Edenic promise of the Satan-Bruiser Ge 3:15. –Abel, Seth, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Esau. (3) Esau, as the firstborn, was in the direct line of the Abrahamic promise of the Earth-Blesser Ge 12:3. For all that was revealed, in Esau might have fulfilled those two great Messianic promises. This birthright Esau sold for a momentary fleshly gratification. Jacob’s conception of the birthright at that time was, doubtless, carnal and inadequate, but his desire for it evidenced true faith.)

N1 to Ge. 28.10, p42 “And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran..” (Bethel becomes, because of Jacob’s vision there, one of the significant places of Scripture. To the Christian it stands for a realization, however imperfect, of the heavenly and spiritual contents of faith, answering to Paul’s prayer in Eph 1:17-23. Dispensationally, the scene speaks of Israel the nation, cast out of the Land of Promise because of evil-doing there, but holding the promise of restoration and blessing Ge 28:15; De 30:1-10. To “an Israelite indeed” Christ speaks of Jacob’s vision as to be fulfilled in the Son of man (cf) Ge 28:12; Joh 1:47-51. <)

N1 to Genesis 32.28, p48 “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” (Cmt. on Ro 11:26. Both names are applied to the nation descended from Jacob. When used characteristically “Jacob” is the name for the natural posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; “Israel” for the spiritual part of the nation. See Isa 9:8. The “word” was sent to all the people, “Jacob,” but it “lighted upon Israel,” i.e. was comprehended by the spiritual part of the people. See “Israel” Ge 12:2-3. Ro 11:26, summary.)

N1 to Genesis 36.31, p53 Genesis 36.31 “And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.” (It is characteristic of Scripture that the kings of Edom should be enumerated before the kings of Israel. The principle is stated in 1Co 15:46. First things are “natural,” man’s best, and always fail; second things are “spiritual,” God’s things, and succeed. Adam–Christ; Cain–Abel; Cain’s posterity–Seth’s posterity; Saul–David; Israel–the true Church, etc.)

N1 to Exodus 14.30, p88 “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.” (Redemption: (Exodus type) Summary. Exodus is the book of redemption and teaches: (1) redemption is wholly of God Ex 3:7-8; John 3:16; (2) redemption is through a person. Ex. 2:2, note. John 3:16-17; (3) redemption is by blood Ex. 12:13,23,27; 1 Pet. 1:18; (4) redemption is by power Ex. 6:6; 13:14; Rom. 8:2. Isa. 59:20, note. Ro 3:24, note.

The blood of Christ redeems the believer from the guilt and penalty of sin. 1Pe 1:18 as the power of the Spirit delivers from the dominion of sin. Rom. 8:2; Eph. 2:2.)”

N2 to Ex. 17.6, p91 “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (The rock, type of life through the Spirit by grace: (1) Christ the Rock 1Co 10:4. (2) The people utterly unworthy Ex 17:2; Eph 2:1-6. (3) Characteristics of life through grace: (a) free (John 4.10; Rom. 6.23; Eph. 2.8); (b) abundant (Rom. 5.20; Psa. 105.41; John 3.16); (c) near (Rom 10.8); (d) the people had only to take (Isa. 55.1). The smitten-rock aspect of the death of Christ looks toware the ourpouring of the Holy Spirit as a result of accomplished redemption, rather than toward our guilt. It is the affirmative side of John 3.16. to perish” speaks of atoning blood; “but have” speaks of life bestowed.)

N3 to Exodus 17.8, p91 “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.” (Amalek, grandson of Esau (Gen. 36.12), who was “born after the flesh” (Gal. 4.22-29) and progenitor of the Amalekites, Israel’s persistent enemy, is a type of the flesh in the believer (Gal. 4.29). But the conflict with Amalek in Chapter 17 sets forth the resources of the man under law, rather than those of the believer under grace. The man under law could fight and pray (vs. 9-12). Under grace, the Holy Spirit gains the victory over the flesh in the believer’s behalf (Rom. 8.2-4; Gal. 5.16, 17); but this victory is only as the believer walks in the Spirit. Acting in independency or disobedience, Amalek gains an easy victory (Num. 14.42-45). Like Saul we are prone to spare the flesh (1 Sam. 15.8, 9), forgetting Rom. 7.18. See “Flesh,” John 1.13; Jude 23.)”

N3 to Ex. 27.20, p105 “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.” (Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Cf) Joh 3:34; Heb 1:9. In Christ the oil-fed Light ever burns, the Light of the world Joh 8:12. But here we have not the world, but the sanctuary. It is a question, not of testimony in and to the world, but of our communion and worship as believer-priests in the holiest Heb 10:19-20. In the Tabernacle there were two compartments, two lights: the holy place with the candlestick Cmt. on Ex 25:31 the holy of holies with the shekinah, or manifested glory of God. These two places are now one Mt 27:50-51; Heb 9:6-8; 10:19-21 but it is important to see that there are still two lights: Christ, the Light of life Joh 8:12 through the Spirit giving light upon the holy things of God, the showbread and altar of incense; and also the shekinah, now on the face of Jesus Christ 2Co 4:6. Into this twofold light we, as believer- priests, are brought 1Pe 2:9. We “walk in the light,” not merely which He gives, but in which He lives 1Jo 1:7. But what of the command to “bring pure oil” Ex 27:20. Because our access, apprehension, communion, and transformation are by the Spirit Eph 2:18; 1Co 2:14-15; 2Co 13:14; Php 2:1; 2Co 3:18. Our title to His presence is the blood Eph 2:13 but only as filled with the Spirit Eph 5:18 do we really walk in the light.)

N1 to Ex. 30.31, p112 “And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.” (Anointing oil, type of the Holy Spirit for service (Acts 1.8).)

N3 to Ex. 30:38, p112 “Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.” (What is condemned here is making worship a mere pleasure to the natural man, whether sensuous, as in beautiful music to please the ear, or eloquence, merely to give delight to the natural mind. (Cf) Joh 4:23-24.).

N1 to Ex. 40,34, p125 “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” (Cf. Eph 2:22. What the shekinah glory was to tabernacle and temple, that the Spirit is to the ‘holy temple,’ the Church, and to the temple which is the believer’s body. 1Co 6:19. <Cf. Eph 2:22. What the shekinah glory was to tabernacle and temple, that the Spirit is to the ‘holy temple,’ the Church, and to the temple which is the believer’s body. 1Co. 6:19.)

N3 to Le. 2.1, p127 “ And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:” (The meal-offering. The fine flour speaks of the evenness and balance of the character of Christ; of that perfection in which no quality was in excess, none lacking; the fire, of His testing by suffering, even unto death; frankincense; the fragrance of His life Godward (see) Ex 30:34 absence of leaven, His character as “the Truth” (see) Ex 12:8 absence of honey;–His was not that mere natural sweetness which may exist quite apart from grace; oil mingled, Christ as born of the Spirit Mt 1:18-23 oil upon, Christ as baptized with the Spirit Joh 1:32; 6:27 the oven, the unseen sufferings of Christ–His inner agonies Heb 2:18; Mt 27:45-46 the pan, His more evident sufferings (e.g.) Mt 27:27-31 salt, the pungency of the truth of God–that which arrests the action of leaven. <The meal-offering. The fine flour speaks of the evenness and balance of the character of Christ; of that perfection in which no quality was in excess, none lacking; the fire, of His testing by suffering, even unto death; frankincense; the fragrance of His life Godward (see) Ex 30:34 absence of leaven, His character as “the Truth” (see) Ex 12:8 absence of honey;–His was not that mere natural sweetness which may exist quite apart from grace; oil mingled, Christ as born of the Spirit Mt 1:18-23 oil upon, Christ as baptized with the Spirit Joh 1:32; 6:27 the oven, the unseen sufferings of Christ–His inner agonies Heb 2:18; Mt 27:45-46 the pan, His more evident sufferings (e.g.) Mt 27:27-31 salt, the pungency of the truth of God–that which arrests the action of leaven.)

N2 to Le. 14.5 p144 “And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:” (The earthen vessel typifies the humanity of Christ, as the running water typifies the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of life” Ro 8:2 “put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1Pe 3:18).

N1 to Nu. 14.23, p185 “Numbers 14:23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:” (Kadesh-barnea is, by the unbelief of Israel there, and the divine comment on that unbelief Nu 14:22-38; De 1:19-40; 1Co 10:1-5; Heb 3:12-19 invested with immense spiritual significance. The people had faith to sprinkle the blood of atonement Ex 12:28 and to come out of Egypt (the world), but had not faith to enter their Canaan rest. Therefore, though redeemed, they were a forty years’ grief to Jehovah. The spiritual application is made in Heb. 6.3-11, note. Cmt. on Heb 6:4.)

N1 to Le. 23.16, p156 “Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.” (The feast of Pentecost, Le 23:15-22. The anti-type is the descent of the Holy Spirit to form the church. For this reason leaven is present, because there is evil in the church Mt 13:33; Ac 5:1,10; 15:1. Observe, it is now loaves; not a sheaf of separate growths loosely bound together, but a real union of particles making one homogenous body. The descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost united the separated disciples into one organism. 1Co 10:16; 12:12-13,20. < The feast of Pentecost, Le 23:15-22. The anti-type is the descent of the Holy Spirit to form the church. For this reason leaven is present, because there is evil in the church Mt 13:33; Ac 5:1,10; 15:1. Observe, it is now loaves; not a sheaf of separate growths loosely bound together, but a real union of particles making one homogenous body. The descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost united the separated disciples into one organism. 1Co 10:16; 12:12-13,20.)

N2 to Le. 23.17, p157 “Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.” (The wave-loaves were offered fifty days after the wave-sheaf. This is precisely the period between the resurrection of Christ and the formation of the church at Pentecost by the baptism of the Holy Spirit Ac 2:1-4; 1Co 12:12-13. See “Church” Mt 16:18; Heb 12:22-23. With the wave-sheaf no leaven was offered, for there was no evil in Christ; but the wave-loaves, typifying the church, are “baken with leaven,” for in the church there is still evil.)

N1 to Nu. 15, p186 (The wilderness was part of the necessary discipline of the redeemed people, but not the years of wandering. The latter were due wholly to the unbelief of the people at Kadesh-barnea. The Red Sea, Marah, Elim, Sinai, were God’s ways, in development and discipline, and have, of necessity, their counterpart in Christian experience. The Red Sea speaks of the cross as that which–death to Christ but life for us–separates us from Egypt, the world Ga 6:14 Marah of God’s power to turn untoward things into blessings; Elim of God’s power to give rest and refreshment by the way; Sinai of God’s holiness and our deep inherent evil, the experience of +A”>Ro 7:7-24 So far the path was and is of God. But from Kadesh-barnea to Jordan all save the grace of God toward an unbelieving people, is for warning, not imitation 1Co 10:1-11; Heb 3:17-19. There is a present rest of God, of which the Sabbath and Canaan were types, into which believers may, and therefore should, enter by faith Heb 3:1-4:16.)

N1 to Nu. 19.2, p192 “This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:” (The red heifer: Type of the sacrifice of Christ as the ground of the cleansing of the believer from the defilement contracted in his pilgrim walk through this world, and illustration of the method of his cleansing. The order is: (1) the slaying of the sacrifice; (2) the sevenfold sprinkling of the blood, typical public testimony before the eyes of all of the complete and never-to-be-repeated putting away of all the believer’s sin as before God. Heb 9:12-14; 10:10-12; (3) the reduction of the sacrifice to ashes which are preserved and become a memorial of the sacrifice;(4) the cleansing from defilement (sin has two aspects–guilt and uncleanness) by sprinkling with the ashes mingled with water. Water is a type of both the Spirit and the Word. Joh 7:37-39. Eph 5:26. The operation typified is this: the Holy Spirit used the Word to convict the believer of some evil allowed in his life to the hindering of his joy, growth, and service. Thus convicted, he remembers that the guilt of his sin has been met by the sacrifice of Christ 1Jo 1:7. Instead, therefore, of despairing, the convicted believer judges and confesses the defiling thing as unworthy a saint, and is forgiven and cleansed Joh 13:3-10; 1Jo 1:7-10.)

N2 to Nu. 21.17, p195 “Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:” (The spiritual order here is beautiful: (1) atonement Nu 21:8-9; Joh 3:14-15 (2) water, symbol of the Spirit bestowed Nu 21:16; Joh 7:37-39. (3) joy Nu 21:17-18; Ro 14:17. (4) power Nu 21:21-24.)

Even in OT Israel, the Israelites instructed by Moses before going into the land to love & fear & serve God. De. 6.4-5: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” De. 6:13: “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. De. 10.12-13: “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” De. 10.20 “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.” De. 11.1 “Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.” De. 11.13 “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,” [Note that serving Him means keeping His statutes and commandments.].

Studying and meditating upon His Word was very important. De. 11.18.23 “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves….” De. 13.4 “Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” Remember, this was without the indwelling Holy Spirit. God was over His people, but He was not in them.

Headnote to Joshua “…In a spiritual sense the book of Joshua is the Ephesians of the Old Testament. “The heavenly” of Ephesians is to the Christian what Canaan was to the Israelite and blessing through divine power (Jos 21:43-45; Eph 1:3)…”

N1 to Joshua 5.2, p263 “At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.” (Circumcision is the “sign” of the Abrahamic Covenant Ge. 17:7-14 Ro. 4:11. “The reproach of Egypt” was that, during the later years of the Egyptian bondage, this separating sign had been neglected (cf. Ex. 4:24-26 and this neglect had continued during the wilderness wanderings. The N.T. analogue is world conformity; the failure openly to take a believer’s place with Christ in death and resurrection. Ro 6:2-11; Ga. 6:14-16. Spiritually it is mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit. Ro. 8:13; Ga. 5:16-17; Col. 2:11; 3:5-10.).

N2 to Joshua 5.11 p263 “And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.” (The manna is a type of Christ in humiliation, known “after the flesh,” giving his flesh that the believer might have life Jn. 6:49-51 while the “old corn of the land” is Christ apprehended as risen, glorified, and seated in the heavenlies. Occupation with Christ on earth, “crucified through weakness,” tends to a wilderness experience. An experience befitting the believer’s place in the heavenlies demands an apprehension of the power of His resurrection 2 Co. 5:16; 13:4; Ph. 3:10; Ep. 1:15-23. It is the contrast between “milk” and “meat” in Paul’s writings. 1 Co. 3:1-2; He. 5:12-14; 6:1-3.)

N1 to Joshua 6.5, p264 “And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.” (The central truth here is that spiritual victories are won by means and upon principles utterly foolish and inadequate in the view of human wisdom. 1 Co 1:17-29; 2 Co 10:3-5.). Good comments on this on pp 148-152, esp. 150-51 of McGee, Judges.

N1 to Joshua 7.11, p265 “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.” (The sin of Achan and its results teach the great truth of the oneness of the people of God, Jos 7:11. “Israel hath sinned.” See in illustration 1Co 5:1-7; 12:12-14,26. The whole cause of Christ is injured by the sin, neglect, or unspirituality of one believer.)

Headnote to Judges. “…This book takes its name from the thirteen men raised up to deliver Israel in the declension and disunion which followed the death of Joshua. Through these men Jehovah continued His personal government of Israel. The key-verse to the condition of Israel is (Jg 17:6), “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Two facts stand out–the utter failure of Israel; the persistent grace of Jehovah. In the choice of the Judges is illustrated Zechariah’s great word (Zec 4:6), “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord”; and Paul’s word (1Co 1:25), “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”…”

Psa 51:5 [“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”]; Jer. 17:9 [“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”];

N1 to Psm. 51.11, p624 “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (No believer of this dispensation, aware of the promise of His abiding, (John 14.16) should pray, “take not thy Holy Spirit from me,” (Eph. 4.30); but, while Christian position is not found here, Christian experience is.)

Is. 26.9 “With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

N1 to Is. 63.16 p768 “Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.” (Cf. Isa 1:2; 64:8. Israel, collectively, the national Israel, recognizes God as the national Father (cf) Ex 4:22-23, Doubtless the believing Israelite was born anew (cf) Joh 3:3,5; Lu 13:28 but the O.T. Scriptures show no trace of the consciousness of personal sonship. The explanation is given in Ga 4:1-7. The Israelite, though a child, “differed nothing from a servant.” The Spirit, as the “Spirit of His Son,” could not be given to impart the consciousness of sonship until redemption had been accomplished. Ga 4:4-6 See “Adoption” Ro 8:15; Eph 1:5. Cmt. on Eph 1:5. Margin: redeemer Heb. “goel,” Redemp. (Kinsman type). Cmt. on Isa 59:20)

N2 to Is. 64.8 p768 “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Here the reference is to relationship through creation, rather than through faith, as in Ac 17:28-29. Cmt. on Ac 17:29.)

Mt. 3.11, 16 “ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” Mt. 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:” Mt. 4.1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

N2 p997 to Mt. 3.16 “Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:” (For the first time the Trinity, foreshadowed in many ways in the O.T., is fully manifested. The Spirit descends upon the Son, and at the same moment the Father’s voice is heard from heaven.)

Chapter 3, “The Baptist’s Witness to Christ” of The History of the Baptists, by Thomas Armitage, D.D.

N3 to Mt. 4.1, p997: “Then was Iesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to bee tempted of the devil.” (The temptation of Christ, the “last Adam” 1Co. 15:45 is best understood when contrasted with that of the “first man Adam.” Adam was tempted in his place of lord of creation, a lordship with but one reservation, the knowledge of good and evil Ge. 1:26; 2:16-17. Through the woman he was tempted to add that also to his dominion. Falling, he lost all. But Christ had taken the place of a lowly Servant, acting only from and in obedience to the Father. Ph. 2:5-8; Jo. 5:19; 6:57; 8:28,54 Cmt. on Is. 41:8 that He might redeem a fallen race and a creation under the curse Ge. 3:17-19; Ro. 8:19-23. Satan’s one object in the threefold temptation was to induce Christ to act from Himself, in independency of His Father. The first two temptations were a challenge to Christ from the god of this world to prove Himself indeed the Son of God (Mt. 4:3,6). The third was the offer of the usurping prince of this world to divest himself of that which rightfully belonged to Christ as Son of man and Son of David, on the condition that He accept the sceptre on Satan’s world-principles (cf. Jo. 18:36). Cmt. on Re. 13:8. Christ defeated Satan by a means open to His humblest follower, the intelligent use of the word of God (Mt. 4:4,7). In his second temptation Satan also used Scripture, but a promise available only to one in the path of obedience. The scene give emphasis to the vital importance of “rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Ti. 2:15.).

Mt. 6.33, note. [The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven Cmt. on Mt 3:2, in five respects: (1) The kingdom of God is universal, including all moral intelligences willingly subject to the will of God, whether angels, the Church, or saints of past or future dispensations Lu 13:28-29; Heb 12:22-23 while the kingdom of heaven is Messianic, mediatorial, and Davidic, and has for its object the establishment of the kingdom of God in the earth Cmt. on Mt 3:2 1Co 15:24-25.

(2) The kingdom of God is entered only by the new birth Joh 3:3,5-7 the kingdom of heaven, during this age, is the sphere of a profession which may be real or false. Cmt. on Mt 13:3 Mt 25:1,11-12

(3) Since the kingdom of heaven is the earthly sphere of the universal kingdom of God, the two have almost all things in common. For this reason many parables and other teachings are spoken of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, and of the kingdom of God in Mark and Luke. It is the omissions which are significant. The parables of the wheat and tares, and of the net Mt 13:24-30,36-43,47-50 are not spoken of the kingdom of God. In that kingdom there are neither tares nor bad fish. But the parable of the leaven Mt 13:33 is spoken of the kingdom of God also, for, alas, even the true doctrines of the kingdom are leavened with the errors of which the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians were the representatives. Cmt. on Mt 13:33.

(4) The kingdom of God “comes not with outward show” Lu 17:20 but is chiefly that which is inward and spiritual Ro 14:17 while the kingdom of heaven is organic, and is to be manifested in glory on the earth. (See “Kingdom (O.T.),” Zech 12.8, note; (N.T.), Lu 1.31-33 1co 15.24, note; Mt 17.2, note.) Cmt. on Zec 12:8, Lu 1:31-33 Cmt. on 1Co 15:24 Cmt. on Mt 17:2

(5) The kingdom of heaven merges into the kingdom of God when Christ, having put all enemies under his feet, “shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father” 1Co 15:24-28 Cmt. on Mt 3:2]

(2) The new birth is not a reformation of the old nature (Rom. 6:6, note [“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (The expression occurs elsewhere, in Eph 4:22; Col 3:9 and always means the man of old, corrupt human nature, the inborn tendency to evil in all men. In Ro 6:6 it is the natural man himself; in Eph 4:22; Col 3:9 his ways. Positionally, in the reckoning of God, the old man is crucified, and the believer is exhorted to make this good in experience, reckoning it to be so by definitely “putting off” the old man and “putting on” the new Col 3:8-14; Eph 4:24, Cmt. on Eph 4:24, note 3.)]), but a creative act of the holy Spirit John 3:5 [“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”]; 1:12-13 [“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”]; 2 Cor. 5:17 [“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”]; Eph. 2:10; [“ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”] 4:24 [“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”].

(3) The condition of the new birth is faith in Christ crucified John 3:14 [“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:”]; 1:12-13 [“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”]; Gal. 3:24 [“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”].

(4) Through the new birth the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature and of the life of Christ Himself Gal. 2:20 [“ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”]; Eph 2:10 [“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”]; 4:24 [“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”]; Col. 1:27 [“ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”]; 1 Pet. 1:23-25 [“23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”]; 2 Pet. 1:4 [“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”]; 1 John 5:10-12 [“10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”])

N1 to Mt. 10.2, p1008: “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;” (The word apostle, = “one sent forth,” is used of our Lord Heb 3:1. Elsewhere it is used for the twelve who were called to that office by our Lord during His earth ministry; of Paul, called to the apostleship by the risen and ascended Lord, and of Barnabas Ac 14:14 specially designated by the Holy Spirit Ac 13:2. Of Matthias, chosen by lot by the eleven to take the place of Judas Iscariot, Ac 1:16-26: “And he was numbered with the eleven.” Ac 1:26.

The “signs” of an apostle were (1) They were chosen directly by the Lord Himself, or, as in the case of Barnabas, by the Holy Spirit Mt 10:1-2; Mr 3:13-14; Lu 6:13; Ac 9:6; 13:2; 22:10,14-15; Ro 1:1 (2) They were endued with sign gifts, miraculous powers which were the divine credentials of their office Mt 10:1; Ac 5:15; 16:16-18; +1″>Mt 28:8-9. (3) Their relation to the kingdom was that of heralds, announcing to Israel only Mt 10:5-6 the kingdom as at hand. Cmt. on Mt 4:17 and manifesting kingdom powers Mt 10:7-8. (4) To one of them, Peter, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, viewed as the sphere of Christian profession, as in Mat 13, were given Mt 16:19. (5) Their future relation to the king will be that of judges over the twelve tribes Mt 19:28. (6) Consequent upon the rejection of the kingdom, and the revelation of the mystery hid in God Mt 16:18; Eph 3:1-12 the Church, the apostolic office was invested with a new enduement, the baptism with the Holy Spirit Ac 2:1-4 a new power, that of imparting the Spirit to Jewish-Christian believers; a new relation, that of foundation stones of the new temple Eph 2:20-22 and a new function, that of preaching the glad tidings of salvation through a crucified and risen Lord to Jew and gentile alike. (7) The indispensable qualification of an apostle was that he should have been an eye-witness of the resurrection Ac 1:22; 1Co 9:1. Margin: James son of Zebedee Cmt. on Mt 4:21.).

N3 to Mt. 13.45, p1017 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:” (The true Church, “one body” formed by the Holy Spirit 1Co 12:12-13. As Israel is the hid treasure, so the Church is the pearl of great cost. Covering the same period of time as the mysteries of the kingdom, is the mystery of the Church Ro 16:25-26; Eph 3:3-10; 5:32. Of the true Church a pearl is a perfect symbol: (1) A pearl is one, a perfect symbol of unity 1Co 10:17; 12:12-13; Eph 4:4-6. (2) a pearl is formed by the accretion, and that not mechanically, but vitally, through a living one, as Christ adds to the Church Ac 2:41; “>5:14; 11:24; Eph 2:21; Col 2:19. (3) Christ, having given Himself for the pearl, is now preparing it for presentation to Himself Eph 5:25-27. The kingdom is not the Church, but the true children of the kingdom during the fulfilment of these mysteries, baptized by one Spirit into one body 1Co 12:12-13 compose the true Church, the pearl. Margin: kingdom Cmt. on Mt 3:2.)

Mk. 7:21-23 [“21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”];

Lu. 1.15 “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”

Lu. 1.35 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Lu. 1.41 “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:”

Lu. 1.67 “And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,”

Lu. 2.25-27 “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,”

Lu. 3.16 “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:”

Lu. 3.21-22 “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”

N1 to Lu. 11.13, p1090 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (It is evident that none of the disciples, with the possible exception of Mary of Bethany, asked for the Spirit in the faith of this promise. It was a new and staggering thing to a Jew that, in advance of the fulfilment of Joe 2:28-29 all might receive the Spirit. Mary alone of the disciples understood Christ’s repeated declaration concerning His own death and resurrection Joh 12:3-7. Save Mary, not one of the disciples but Peter, and he only in the great confession Mt 16:16 manifested a spark of spiritual intelligence till after the resurrection of Christ and the impartation of the Spirit Joh 20:22; Ac 2:1-4. To go back to the promise of Lu 11:13, is to forget Pentecost, and to ignore the truth that now every believer has the indwelling Spirit Ro 8:9,15; 1Co 6:19; Ga 4:6; 1Jo 2:20,27. Cmt. on Ac 2:4)

Lu. 18:9-13 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

N1 to Lu. 24.51, p1113 “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” (The attitude of our Lord here characterizes this age. It is one of grace; an ascended Lord is blessing a believing people with spiritual blessings. The Jewish age was marked by temporal blessings as the reward of an obedient people. “>De 28:1-15. In the kingdom-age spiritual and temporal blessings unite.)

Jn. 1.33 “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”

John 3:3, 5, 6;[“3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”];

John 3.31 “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

The Indwelling Spirit. John 4.14, 23-24 “14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life…. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Jn. 6.63-64 “63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

Jn. 7:37-39. The great prophecy concerning the Holy Spirit for power (Acts 2.2-4. Cf. John 4.14). “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him, should receive. For the holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

N1 to Jn. 8.37, p1127 “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.” (Cf. v. 8:39. The contrast, “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed”–“If ye were Abraham’s children,” is that between the natural and the spiritual posterity of Abraham. The Israelitish people and Ishmaelites are the former; all who are “of like precious faith with Abraham,” whether Jews or Gentiles, are the latter Rom. 9:6-8; Gal. 3:6-14. See “Abrahamic Covenant,” Gen. 15:18, note).

Jn. 14.16-26. The promise of the spirit.

N1 p1136 to Jn. 14.16 (Comforter) “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”.(Gr. Parakletos, “one called alongside to help.” Translated “advocate,” 1Jo 2:1. Christ is the believer’s Paraclete with the Father when he sins; the Holy Spirit the believer’s indwelling Paraclete to help his ignorance and infirmity and to make intercession Ro 8:26-27. (See “Holy Spirit,” N.T. doctrine,) Mt 1:18. Cmt. on Ac 2:4. Margin: And I will Cmt. on Lu 11:13.)

Jn. 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Jn. 14.16-21 and n1, p1136 to Jn. 14.16. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him, for hee dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I wil not leaue you comfortless, I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more: but ye see me, because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know, that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, hee it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him.” (Gr. Parakletos, “one called alongside to help.” Translated “advocate,” 1 John 2:1. Christ is the believer’s Paraclete with the Father when he sins; the Holy Spirit the believer’s indwelling Paraclete to help his ignorance and infirmity and to make intercession (Ro. 8:26-27). (See “Holy Spirit,” N.T. doctrine,) Mt 1:18. Cmt. on Ac 2:4.) Margin: And I will Cmt. on Lu 11:13.)

Jn. 14.26 “But the Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, & bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

N1 p1137 to Jn. 15:8 “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (Three degrees in fruit-bearing: “Fruit,” John 15:2, “more fruit,” John 15:2, “much fruit,” John 15:5,8. As we bear “much fruit” the Father is glorified in us. The minor moralities and graces of Christianity are often imitated, but never the ninefold “fruit” of Gal. 5:22-23. Where such fruit is the Father glorified. The Pharisees were moral and intensely “religious,” but not one of them could say with Christ, “I have glorified thee on the earth” John 17:4.)

The believer and the Spirit. John 15:26-27 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”

Jn. 16:7-11 (Threefold work of the Spirit toward the world.) “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

Jn. 16.12, n1, p 1138 (Christ’s pre-authentication of the New Testament: (1) he expressly declared that He would leave “many things” unrevealed (John 16:12). (2) He promised that this revelation should be completed (“all things”) after the Spirit should come, and that such additional revelation should include new prophecies (John 16:1-33)). (3) He chose certain persons to receive such additional revelations, and to be His witnesses to them Mt. 28:19; John 15:27; 16:13; Acts 1:8; 9:15-17. (4) he gave to their words when speaking for Him in the Spirit precisely the same authority as His own Mt. 10:14-15; Lu. 10:16; John 13:20; 17:20 see e.g. 1 Cor. 14:37 and “Inspiration,” Ex. 4:15; Rev. 22:19.)

Jn. 16:12-15 (New truth to be revealed by the Spirit.)“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

Margin of Jn. 16.13: Holy Spirit. John 20.22. (Mt. 1.18; Acts 2.4)

Jn. 20:22-23 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

Margin of Jn. 20.22 m Holy Spirit. Acts 1.2, 5, 8.16 (Mt. 1.18; Acts. 2.4.)

Headnote to Ac.: “…This book records the ascension and promised return of the Lord Jesus, the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter’s use of the keys, opening the kingdom (considered as the sphere of profession, as in Mat. 13) to the Jews at Pentecost, and to the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius; the beginning of the Christian church and the conversion and ministry of Paul.

The Holy Spirit fills the scene. As the presence of the Son, exalting and revealing the Father, is the great fact of the Gospels, so the presence of the Spirit, exalting and revealing the Son, is the great fact of the Acts….”

Ac. 1:3-5 “To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

Ac. 1.16 “Men and brethren, This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.”

Ac. 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Ac. 1.12-14: The ten days’ waiting for the Spirit.

N1 p1149-1150 to Acts 2:4 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (“The Holy Spirit, N.T. Summary (see Mal 2.15, note): Cmt. on Mal 2:15.

“(1) The Holy Spirit is revealed as a divine Person. This is expressly declared (e.g.) Joh 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7-15; Mt 28:19 and everywhere implied.

“(2) The revelation concerning Him is progressive: (a) In the O.T. Cmt. on Mal 2:15. He comes upon whom He will, apparently without reference to conditions in them. (b) During His earth-life, Christ taught His disciples Lu 11:13 that they might receive the Spirit through prayer to the Father. (c) At the close of His ministry He promised that He would Himself pray the Father, and that in answer to prayer the Comforter would come to abide Joh 14:16-17. (d) On the evening of His resurrection He came to the disciples in the upper room, and breathed on them saying, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” Joh 20:22 but instructed them to wait before beginning their ministry till the Spirit should come upon them Lu 24:49; Ac 1:8. (e) On the day of Pentecost the Spirit came upon the whole body of believers Ac 2:1-4. (f) After Pentecost, so long as the Gospel was preached to Jews only, the Spirit was imparted to such as believed by the laying on of hands Ac 8:17; 9:17. (g) When Peter opened the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles (Ac 10.), the Holy Spirit, without delay, or other condition than faith, was given to those who believed. Ac 10:44; 11:15-18. This is the permanent fact for the entire church age. Every believer is born of the Spirit Joh 3:3,6; 1Jo 5:1 indwelt by the Spirit, whose presence makes the believer’s body a temple 1Co 6:19; Ro 8:9-15; 1Jo 2:27; Ga 4:6 and baptized by the Spirit 1Co 12:12-13; 1Jo 2:20,27 thus sealing him for God Eph 1:13; 4:30.

“(3) The N.T. distinguishes between having the Spirit, which is true of all believers, and being filled with the Spirit, which is the believer’s privilege and duty (cf) Ac 2:4 with Ac 4:29-31; Eph 1:13-14 with Eph 5:18. –“One baptism, many fillings.”

“(4) The Holy Spirit is related to Christ in His Conception Mt 1:18-20; Lu 1:35 baptism Mt 3:16; Mr 1:10; Lu 3:22; Joh 1:32-33 walk and service Lu 4:1,14 resurrection Ro 8:11, and as His witness throughout this age Joh 15:26; 16:8-11,13-14.

“(5) The Spirit forms the church Mt 16:18 Cmt. on Heb 12:23 by baptizing all believers into the body of Christ 1Co 12:12-13, imparts gifts for service to every member of that body 1Co 12:7-11,27,30, guide the members in their service Lu 2:27; 4:1; Ac 16:6-7 and is Himself the power of that service Ac 1:8; 2:4; 1Co 2:4.

“(6) The Spirit abides in the company of believers who constitute a local church, making of them, corporately, a temple 1Co 3:16-17.

“(7) Christ indicates a threefold personal relationship of the Spirit to the believer: “With”, “In”, “upon” Joh 14:17; Lu 24:49; Ac 1:8. “With” indicates the approach of God to the soul, convicting of sin Joh 16:9 presenting Christ as the object of faith Joh 16:14 imparting faith Eph 2:8 and regenerating Joh 3:3-16. “In” describes the abiding presence of the Spirit in the believer’s body 1Co 6:19 to give victory over the flesh Ro 8:2-4; Ga 5:16-17 to create the Christian character Ga 5:22-23 to help infirmities Ro 8:26 to inspire prayer Eph 6:18 to give conscious access to God Eph 2:18 to actualize to the believer his sonship Ga 4:6 to apply the Scripture in cleansing and sanctification Eph 5:26; 2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2 to comfort and intercede Ac 9:31; Ro 8:26 and to reveal Christ Joh 16:14.

“(8) Sins against the Spirit committed by unbelievers are: To blaspheme Mt 12:31, resist Ac 7:51, insult Heb 10:29, “despite,” lit. insult). Believers’ sins against the Spirit are: To grieve Him by allowing evil in heart or life Eph 4:30-31 and to quench Him by disobedience 1Th 5:19.

The right attitude toward the Spirit is yieldedness to His sway in walk and service, and in constant willingness that He shall “put away” whatever grieves Him or hinders His power Eph 4:31.

“(9) The symbols of the Spirit are: (a) oil Joh 3:34; Heb 1:9 (b) water, Joh 7:38-39, (c) wind Ac 2:2; Joh 3:8, (d) fire Ac 2:3, (e) a dove Mt 3:16, (f) a seal Eph 1:13; 4:30, (g) an earnest or pledge Eph 1:14.”)

Ac. 2.15-21 “For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Ac. 2.37-38 “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Ac. 4:5-12 “And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” [Bold emphasis mine.]

Ac. 4.23-31 The Christians again filled with the Spirit. [This is after they were threatened, told not to preach in the name of Jesus, and released. They had been held for healing in the name of Jesus.] “And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

[THE HOLY GHOST A WITNESS]] Ac. 5.29-32 “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Ac. 5:3 “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?”

[THE FIRST DEACONS TO BE FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST] Acts 6.3 “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” Ac. 6:5 “And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:”

Ac. 7.47-51 “But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things? Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”

Holy Spirit given those in Samaria when apostles laid their hands on them. Acts 8:14-17 “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”

THE POWER OF GOD CANNOT BE BOUGHT: Ac. 8:18-23 “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

THE HS TELLS PHILIP TO WITNESS TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH: Ac. 8:29 “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” Ac. 8:39-40 “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.”

PAUL FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT: Acts 9:17 “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”

Margin of Ac. 9.17 (h): Holy Spirit (N.T.). vs. 17, 31; Acts 10.19, 38, 44, 45, 47 (Mt. 1.18; Acts 2.4.)

Ac. 9:31 “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

Ac. 10:19 “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.”

Ac. 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN TO GENTILE BELIEVERS: Acts 10:44-48 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

N1 p1164 to Ac. 10.44. “Verse 44 is one of the pivotal points of Scripture. Heretofore the Gospel has been offered to Jews only, and the Holy Spirit bestowed upon believing Jews through apostolic mediation. But now the normal order for this age is reached: the Holy Spirit is given without delay, mediation, or other condition than simple faith in Jesus Christ. Cf. Cmt. on Ac 2:4; 1 Cor. 6.19.”

Ac. 11.12 “And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:” Margin: g John 16.13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Ac. 11.15-16 “Acts 11:15-18 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

Ac. 11:22-24 “Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.”

Acts 11.28 “And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.”

Ac. 13.1-2, 4. Paul and Barnabas called and sent by the Holy Spirit. “Acts 13:2-4 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.”

Ac. 13.9-11 “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.”

Ac. 13.52 “And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”

IN PERSECUTION. Ac. 13:50-52 “But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”

Ac. 15.5-6 “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.” Peter’s argument for Christian liberty: why put under law those to whom God has given the Spirit? (Acts 15.7-10). Acts 15:7-8 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;”

Ac. 15.28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;” [Acts 15.28-35. But Gentile believers must not give offence to godly Jews.]

The Spirit guides: The Macedonian vision. Acts 16.6-11. Acts 16.6-7 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”

Ac. 19.1-6. The disciples of John the Baptist are saved, become Christians, & receive the Holy Ghost.

N1 p1175 to Ac. 19:2 “He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.” (Not as in A.V., “since ye believed,” but as in R.V. and marg.: “Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?” Paul was evidently impressed by the absence of spirituality and power in these so-called disciples. Their answer brought out the fact that they were Jewish proselytes, disciples of John the Baptist, looking backward to an accomplished redemption. Ro 8:9; 1Co 6:19; Eph 1:13.)

N1 to Ac. 20.22, p 1178 “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:” (Cf. Ac 21:4. In Ac 20:22 Paul’s own spirit Cmt. on 1 Th 5:23 is meant; in Ac 21:4 the Holy Spirit. Paul’s motive in going to Jerusalem seems to have been his great affection for the Jews Ro 9:1-5 and his hope that gifts of the Gentile churches, sent by him to the poor saints at Jerusalem Ro 15:25-28 would open the hearts of the law-bound Jewish believers to the “gospel of the grace of God” Ac 20:24. <)

Ac. 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Holy Spirit warns Paul not to go to Jerusalem: Acts 21.4, 10-13.

Ro. 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

N4 p1197 to Ro. 5.14 (Broadly, the contrast is: Adam: sin, death; Christ: righteousness, life. Adam drew down into his ruin the old creation Ro 8:19-22 of which he was lord and head. Christ brings into moral unity with God, and into eternal life, the new creation of which he is Lord and Head. Eph 1:22-23. Even the animal and material creation, cursed for man’s sake. Ge 3:17 will be delivered by Christ. Isa 11:6-9; Ro 8:19-22.). See “Topical Index:” “Adam” and “New Man”

Ro. 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

N1 to Ro. 6.6, p1198 N2 p1198 to Romans 6.6: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (The expression occurs elsewhere, in Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9 and always means the man of old, corrupt human nature, the inborn tendency to evil in all men. In Ro 6:6 it is the natural man himself; in Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9 his ways. Positionally, in the reckoning of God, the old man is crucified, and the believer is exhorted to make this good in experience, reckoning it to be so by definitely “putting off” the old man and “putting on” the new Col. 3:8-14; Eph. 4:24, Eph. 4:24, note 3.)

Ro. 6.1-10: Deliverance from the power of indwelling sin (a) by union with Christ in death and resurrection.. Ro. 6.11-13: (b)By counting the old life to be dead, and by yielding the new life to God. Ro. 6. 14-23: (c) By deliverance from the law through death, and by the Spirit (i.e., as in Rom. 8.2).

Ro. 6.11-13 (b) By counting the old life to be dead, and by yielding the new life to God. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

Ro. 6.14-2318 (c) “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

N2 to Ro. 6.6, p1198 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (The expression occurs elsewhere, in Eph 4:22; Col 3:9 and always means the man of old, corrupt human nature, the inborn tendency to evil in all men. In Ro 6:6 it is the natural man himself; in Eph 4:22; Col 3:9 his ways. Positionally, in the reckoning of God, the old man is crucified, and the believer is exhorted to make this good in experience, reckoning it to be so by definitely “putting off” the old man and “putting on” the new Col 3:8-14; Eph 4:24, Cmt. on Eph 4:24, note 3. The expression occurs elsewhere, in Eph 4:22; Col 3:9 and always means the man of old, corrupt human nature, the inborn tendency to evil in all men. In Ro 6:6 it is the natural man himself; in Eph 4:22; Col 3:9 his ways. Positionally, in the reckoning of God, the old man is crucified, and the believer is exhorted to make this good in experience, reckoning it to be so by definitely “putting off” the old man and “putting on” the new Col 3:8-14; Eph 4:24, Cmt. on Eph 4:24, note 3.)

N3 to Ro. 6:15, p1198 “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” (The old relation to the law and sin, and the new relation to Christ and life are illustrated by the effect of death upon servitude Ro 6:16-23 and marriage Ro 7:1-6. (1) The old servitude was nominally to the law, but, since the law had no delivering power, the real master continued to be sin in the nature. The end was death. The law could not give life, and “sin” (here personified as the old self) is in itself deathful. But death in another form, ie., crucifixion with Christ, has intervened to free the servant from his double bondage to sin (Ro 6:6-7), and to the law Ro 7:4,6. (2) This effect of death is further illustrated by widowhood. Death dissolves the marriage relation Ro 7:1-3. As natural death frees a wife from the law of her husband, so crucifixion with Christ sets the believer free from the law. Cmt. on Ga 3:24)

Ro. 7.4-6 “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

N1 to Ro. 7:6, p1199 “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Cf. Ro 2:29; 2Co 3:6. “The letter” is a Paulinism for the law, as “spirit” in these passages is his word for the relationships and powers of new life in Christ Jesus. In 2 Cor. 3. a series is presented of contrast of law with “spirit,” of the old covenant and the new. The contrast is not between two methods of interpretation, literal, and spiritual, but between two methods of divine dealing: one through the law, the other through the Holy Spirit.)

Ro. 7.7-14 The believer is not made holy by law “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.”

N2 to Ro. 7.9, p1199 “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” (The passage (vs 7-25) is autobiographical. Paul’s religious experience was in three strongly marked phases: (1) He was a godly Jew under the law. That the passage does not refer to that period is clear from his own explicit statements elsewhere. At that time he held himself to be “blameless” as concerned the law Php 3:6. He had “lived in all good conscience” Ac 23:1. (2) With his conversion came new light upon the law itself. He now perceived it to be “spiritual” (Ro 7:14). He now saw that, so far from having kept it, he was condemned by it. He had supposed himself to be “alive,” but now the commandment really “came” (Ro 7:9) and he “died.” Just when the apostle passed through the experience of +B”>Ro 7:7-25 we are not told. Perhaps during the days of physical blindness at Damascus Ac 9:9, perhaps in Arabia Ga 1:17. It is the experience of a renewed man, under the law, and still ignorant of the delivering power of the Holy Spirit Ro 8:2. (3) With the great revelations afterward embodied in Galatians and Romans, the apostle’s experience entered it third phase. He now knew himself to be “dead to the law by the body of Christ,” and, in the power of the indwelling Spirit, “free from the law of sin and death” Ro 8:2 while “the righteousness of the law” was wrought in him (not by him) while he walked after the Spirit Ro 8:4, Romans 7. is the record of past conflicts and defeats experience as a renewed man under law. Margin: sin Sin. Cmt. on Ro 5:21.)

Ro. 7.15-25. The strife of the two natures under the law. Romans 7:15-25 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

N1 p1200 to Ro. 7:.14 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.”(Cf. 1Cor. 3:1,4. “Carnal” = “fleshly” is Paul’s word for the Adamic nature, and for the believer who “walks,” i.e. lives, under the power of it. “Natural” is his characteristic word for the unrenewed man 1Cor. 2:14 as “spiritual” designates the renewed man who walks in the Spirit 1Cor. 3:1; Gal. 6:1. Margin: sin Sin. Cmt. on Rom. 5:21.).

N2 to Romans 7:15, p1200 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” (The apostle personifies the strife of the two natures in the believer, the old or Adamic nature, and the divine nature received through the new birth 1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Pet. 1:4; Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27. The “I” which is Saul of Tarsus, and the “I” which is Paul the apostle are at strife, and “Paul” is in defeat. In Chapter 8, this strife is effectually taken up on the believer’s behalf by the Holy Spirit Rom. 8:2; Gal. 5:16-17 and Paul is victorious. Contra, Eph. 6:12 where the conflict is not fleshly, but spiritual.)

N3 to Ro. 7.21, p1200 “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” (Six “laws” are to be distinguished in Romans: The law of Moses, which condemns Ro 3:19 “law” as a principle Ro 3:21 the law of faith, which excludes self-righteousness Ro 3:27 the law of sin in the members, which is victorious over the law of the mind Ro 7:21,23,25 the law of the mind, which consents to the law of Moses but cannot do it because of the law of sin in the members Ro 7:16,23 and the “law of the Spirit,” having power to deliver the believer from the law of sin which is in his members, and his conscience from condemnation by the Mosaic law. Moreover the Spirit works in the yielded believer the very righteousness which Moses’ law requires Ro 8:2,4.)

Romans 8:1-4 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The new law of the Spirit delivers (v. 2), makes righteous (v. 4): For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

N1 to Ro. 8.2, p1201 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Hitherto in Romans the Holy Spirit has been mentioned but once Ro 5:5 in this chapter He is mentioned nineteen times. Redemption is by blood and by power. Cmt. on Ex 14:30. Ro 3:21-5:11 speaks of the redemptive price; Ro 8. of redemptive power. Margin: sin Sin. Cmt. on Ro 5:21.)

Ro. 8:5-13. Conflict of the Spirit with the flesh. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

Ro. 8:14-17 Full result of the Gospel (1) The believer a son and heir. (Cf. Gal. 4.4) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

N2 to Ro. 8.16 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Gr. teknon, “one born,” a child (and so in Ro 8:17,21); not, as in Ro 8:14, “sons” (gr. huios). See Ga 4:1,7 where babyhood and sonhood are contrasted. Also “Adoption” Ro 8:15,23; Eph 1:5.)

Ro. 8.18-25 92) (2) The creation, delivered from suffering and death, kept for the sons of God (Cf. Gen. 3.18, 19) “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

Ro. 8:26-27 (3) The Spirit an indwelling Intercessor. (Cf. Heb. 7.8) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

N2 p 1204 to Ro. 11.1. (That Israel has not been forever set aside is the theme of this chapter. (1) The salvation of Paul proves that there is still a remnant (v1). (1) The doctrine of the remnant proves it (vs2-6). (3) The present national unbelief was foreseen (vs.7-10). (4) Israel’s unbelief is the Gentile opportunity (vs. 11-25). (5) Israel is judicially broken off from the good olive tree. Christ (vs. 17-22). (6) They are to be grafted in again (vs. 23,24). (7) The promised Deliverer will come out of Zion and the nation will be saved (vs.25-29). That the Christian now inherits the distinctive Jewish promises is not taught in Scripture. The Christian is of the heavenly seed of Abraham (Gen. 15.5, 6; Gal. 3.29), and partakes of the spiritual blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15.18, note); but Israel as a nation always has its own place, and is yet to have its greatest exaltation as the earthly people of God. See ‘Israel’ (Gen. 12.2; Rom. 11.26); ‘Kingdom’ (Gen. 1.26-28; Zech. 12.8).)

Ro. 12.1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Ro. 12.4-8. A church is a body. Each member has a gift…. Romans 12:7-8: “Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” Ro. 12.9-17 tells how a Christian, walking in the Spirit, will treat his fellow man.

Ro. 14.17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Ro. 15:13: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Ro. 15.16 “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”

N1 to I Co. 1.2, p1211 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” (1Co 1:2-9, in contrast with 1Co 10:1-13, illustrate a distinction constantly made in the Epistles between the believer’s position in Christ Jesus, in the family of God, and his walk, or actual state. Christian position in grace is the result of the work of Christ, and is fully entered the moment that Christ is received by faith Joh 1:12-13; Ro 8:1,15-17; 1Co 1:2; 12:12-13; Ga 3:26 Eph 1:3-14 2:4-9 1Pe 2:9 Re 1:6 5:9,10. The weakest, most ignorant, and fallible believer has precisely the same relationships in grace as the most illustrious saint. All the after work of God in his behalf, the application of the word to walk and conscience Joh 17:17; Eph 5:26 the divine chastenings 1Co 11:32; Heb 12:10, the ministry of the Spirit Eph 4:11-12 the difficulties and trials of the path 1Pe 4:12-13 and the final transformation at the appearing of Christ 1Jo 3:2 have for their object to make the believer’s character conform to his exalted position in Christ. He grows in grace, not into grace.)

N1 to I Co. 2.13, p1213 “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” ((1) The writers of Scripture invariably affirm, where the subject is mentioned by them at all, that the words of their writings are divinely taught. This, of necessity, refers to the original documents, not to translations and versions; but the labours of competent scholars have brought our English versions to a degree of perfection so remarkable that we may confidently rest upon them as authoritative. (2) 1Co 2:9-14 gives the process by which a truth passes from the mind of God to the minds of His people. (a) The unseen things of God are undiscoverable by the natural man (1Co 2:9). (b) These unseen things God has revealed to chosen men (1Co 2:10-12). (c) The revealed things are communicated in Spirit-taught words (1Co 2:13). This implies neither mechanical dictation nor the effacement of the writer’s personality, but only that the Spirit infallibly guides in the choice of words from the writer’s own vocabulary (1Co 2:13). (d) These Spirit-taught words, in which the revelation has been expressed, are discerned, as to their true spiritual content, only by the spiritual among believers 1Co 2:15-16; Cmt. on Re 22:19.)

Natural: Paul’s characteristic word for the unrenewed man (1 Cor. 2.14).

I Co. 3.1-4 A carnal state prevents spiritual growth. “ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”

I Co. 3.12-23 Two kinds of ministry and their result. I Cor. 3.16-20: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

I Co. 6.15-17 “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit..”

1 Co. 6.19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

I Co. 12 Part VII. Spiritual gifts in the body of Christ for ministry and worship (1 Cor. 12.1 – 14.40).

N2 to I Co. 12.1, p1222 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” (The word pneumatika, lit. “spirituals,” i.e. matters of or from the Holy Spirit, gives the key to Chapters 12., 13., 14. Chapter 12. concerns the Spirit in relation to the body of Christ. This relation is twofold: (1) The baptism with the Spirit forms the body by uniting believers to Christ the risen and glorified Head, and to each other (1Co 12:12-13). The symbol of the body thus formed is the natural, human body (1Co 12:12), and all the analogies are freely used (1Co 12:14-26). (2) To each believer is given a spiritual enablement and capacity for specific service. No believer is destitute of such gift (1Co 12:7,11,27), but in their distribution the Spirit acts in free sovereignty (1Co 12:11). There is no room for self-choosing, and Christian service is simply the ministry of such gift as the individual may have received (cf) Ro 12:4-8. The gifts are diverse (1Co 12:6,8-10,28-30), but all are equally honourable because bestowed by the same Spirit, administered under the same Lord, and energized by the same God.)

I Co. 12.4-11 True ministry is the exercise of spiritual gift (Cf. Eph. 4.7-16).

I Co. 12.12-31 Every believer is a member of Christ’s body and as such has a definite ministry.

I Co. 12.12, 13 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

N2 to I Co. 12.31 “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” (Chapter 13. continues the pneumatika begun in Chapter 12. Gifts are good, but only if ministered in love. 1 Cor. 13:1-2. Benevolence is good, but not apart from love. 1 Cor. 13:3 Love is described. 1 Cor. 13:4-7 Love is better than our present incomplete knowledge, 1 Cor. 13:8-12 and greater than even faith and hope 1 Cor. 13:13.)

I Cor. 13 The ministry gifts must be governed by love.

N1 p1224 to I Co. 14.1 “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” (The subject is still the pneumatika. Chapter 12, described the gifts and the Body; Chapter 13. the love which alone gives ministry of gift any value; Chapter 14. regulates the ministry of gift in the primitive, apostolic assembly of saints. (1) The important gift is that of prophecy (1Co 1:1)). The N.T. prophet was not merely a preacher, but an inspired preacher, through whom, until the N.T. was written, new revelations suited to the new dispensation were given 1Co 14:29-30. (2) Tongues and the sign gifts are to cease, and meantime must be used with restraint, and only if an interpreter be present 1Co 14:1-19,27-28. (3) In the primitive church there was liberty for the ministry of all the gifts which might be present, but for prophecy more especially 1Co 14:23-26,31,39. (4) In such meetings, when “the whole church” came together “in one place,” women were required to keep silence 1Co 14:34; 11:3-16; 1Ti 2:11-14. (5) These injunctions are declared to be “the commandments of the Lord” 1Co 14:36-37.)

I Co. 14 1-22 Prophecy is the greatest of the gifts.

I Co. 14.23-40 The order of the ministry of gifts in the local church.

N2 p. 1226 to I Co. 15.22: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (Adam was a contrasting type of Christ, 1Co 15:45-47; Ro 5:14-19. (1) “The first man Adam was made a living soul” Ge 2:7, i.e. he derived life from another, that is, God. “The last Adam was a life-giving spirit.” So far from deriving life, He was Himself the fountain of life, and He gave that life to others “>Joh 1:4; 5:21; 10:10; 12:24; 1Jo 5:12. (2) In origin the first man was of the earth, earthy; the Second Man is the Lord from heaven. (3) Each is the head of a creation, and these also are in contrast: in Adam all die; in Christ all will be made alive; the Adamic creation is “flesh”; the new creation, “spirit.” Joh 3:6.)

I Co. 15.45-50: “45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”

II Co. 3.2-3 “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

II Co. 3.6-18 The ministry: (c) spiritual and glorious—not legal.

II Cor. 3:6, 8, 17, 18 “6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life…. 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? … 17- Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” See vv. 6-18.

II Cor. 5.16-17 “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

II Cor. 6.1-10 [4-10: “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”]

II Cor. 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Ga. 3.2 “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

Ga. 3.1-5. (5) The gift of the Spirit is by faith, not by law works.

Ga. 3.14 “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Ga. 4:29-31 “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

Ga. 5.6 “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”

Ga. 5.13-15 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”

Ga. 5:16 Sanctification is through the Spirit, not the law (vs. 16-24). “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Ga. 5.17-21. The Spirit gives victory over sin. (Cf. Fom. 7.15, note.)

Ga. 5.22-24. Christian character is produced by the Holy Spirit, not by self-effort. (Cf. John 15.1-5; Gal. 2.20.)

N1 p1247 to Ga. 5.22 (Christian character is not mere moral or legal correctness, but the possession and manifestation of nine graces: love, joy, peace–character as an inward state; longsuffering, gentleness, goodness–character in expression toward man; faith, meekness, temperance–character in expression toward God. Taken together they present a moral portrait of Christ, and may be taken as the apostle’s explanation of Ga 2:20 “Not I, but Christ,” and as a definition of “fruit” in # Joh 15:1-8 This character is possible because of the believer’s vital union to Christ Joh 15:5; 1Co 12:12-13 and is wholly the fruit of the Spirit in those believers who are yielded to Him. Ga 5:22-23.)

Ga. 5:25-26 Part VII. The outworking of the new life in Christ Jesus (Gal. 5.25-6.18). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Ga. 6:7-9 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

N1 to Eph. 1.1 p1249 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:” (The believer’s place as a member of the body of Christ, vitally united to Him by the baptism with the Holy Spirit 1Co 12:12-13.)

N2 to Ep. 1.3 p 1249 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Literally, the heavenlies. The same Greek word is used in Joh 3:12 where “things” is added. In both places the word signifies that which is heavenly in contradistinction to that which is earthy. In Ephesians “places” is especially misleading. “The heavenlies” may be defined as the sphere of the believer’s spiritual experience as identified with Christ in nature. 2Pe 1:4, life, Col 3:4; 1Jo 5:12, relationships Joh 20:17; Heb 2:11 service, Joh 17:18; Mt 28:20, suffering Php 1:29; 3:10; Col 1:24 inheritance Ro 8:16-17 and future glory in the kingdom Ro 8:18-21; 1Pe 2:9; Re 1:6; 5:10. The believer is a heavenly man, and a stranger and pilgrim on the earth. Heb 3:1; 1Pe 2:11.).

N2 to Ep. 1.5, p1250 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Adoption (huiothesia, “placing as a son”) is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer’s relation to God as a child results from the new birth Joh 1:12-13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Ga 4:1-5. The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer’s present experience (Gal. 4:6) but the full manifestation of the believer’s sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called “the redemption of the body” Ro 8:23; 1Th 4:14-17; Eph 1:14; 1Jo 3:2.)

N4 to Ep. 1.13 p1250 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” (The Holy Spirit is Himself the seal. In the symbolism of Scripture a seal signifies: (1) A finished transaction Jer 32:9-10; Joh 17:4; 19:30. (2) Ownership Jer 32:11-12; 2Ti 2:19. (3) Security Es 8:8; Da 6:17; Eph 4:30).

Ep. 2.1-6 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” See also verses 7-10.

N1 to Ep. 2.5, p1251 “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Death (spiritual), Summary: Spiritual death is the state of the natural or unregenerate man as still in his sins. Eph 2:1 alienated from the life of God Eph 4:18-19 and destitute of the Spirit. Prolonged beyond the death of the body, spiritual death is a state of eternal separation from God in conscious suffering. This is called “the second death.” Re 2:11; 20:6; 21:8. Margin: saved Cmt. on Ro 1:16.).

N2 to Ep. 2.15 p1251 “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;” (Here the “new man” is not the individual believer but the church, considered as the body of Christ in the sense of Eph 1:22-23; 1Co 12:12-13; Col 3:10-11. Cmt. on Heb 12:23.)

Ep. 2.11-13. The Gentile position by nature.

Ep. 2.14-18. (6) Jew and Gentile one body in Christ.

Ep. 2.19-22. The church a temple for the habitation of God through the Spirit. “Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Ep. 3.1-21. The church a mystery hidden from past ages.

Ep. 3.5-6 “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”

N1 to Ep. 3.5 p1252 (That the Gentiles were to be saved was no mystery Ro 9:24-33; 10:19-21. The mystery “hid in God” was the divine purpose to make of Jew and Gentile a wholly new thing–“the church, which is his Christ’s body,” formed by the baptism with the Holy Spirit 1Co 12:12-13 and in which the earthly distinction of Jew and Gentile disappears Eph 2:14-15; Col 3:10-11. The revelation of this mystery, which was foretold, but not explained by Christ Mt 16:18 was committed to Paul. In his writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the church.)

Eph. 4 Part III. The walk and service of the believer as in Christ, and as having the Spirit (Eph. 4.1-5.17).

N1, 2 to Ep. 4.11, p1253 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” (Note 1: In 1Co 12:8-28 the Spirit is seen as enduing the members of the body of Christ with spiritual gifts, or enablements for a varied service; here certain Spirit-endued men, viz. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, are themselves the gifts whom the glorified Christ bestows upon His body the church. In Corinthians the gifts are spiritual enablements for specific service; in Ephesians the gifts are men who have such enablements. Note 2: The Lord, in bestowing the gifted men, determines, providentially (e.g.) Ac 11:22-26 or directly through the Spirit (e.g.) Ac 13:1; 16:6-7 the places of their service. “Some” (churches or places) need one gift, as, (e.g.) evangelist; “some” (churches or places) need rather a pastor or teacher. Absolutely nothing in Christ’s service is left to mere human judgment or self-choosing. Even an apostle was not permitted to choose his place of service Ac 16:7-8.)

N3 to Ep. 4.24, p1253 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (The new man is the regenerate man as distinguished from the old man Cmt. on Ro 6:6 and is a new man as having become a partaker of the divine nature and life 2Pe 1:4; Col 3:3-4 and in no sense the old man made over, or improved 2Co 5:17; Ga 6:15; Eph 2:10; Col 3:10. The new man is Christ, “formed” in the believer Ga 2:20; 4:19; Col 1:27; 1Jo 4:12. Margin: righteousness Cmt. on Ro 10:10.)

Eph. 4.17-29 (5) The walk of the believer as a new man in Christ Jesus. Eph. 4.22-24 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

N3 p1253 to Ephesians 4.24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (The new man is the regenerate man as distinguished from the old man Cmt. on Ro 6:6 and is a new man as having become a partaker of the divine nature and life 2 Pet. 1:4; Col. 3:3-4 and in no sense the old man made over, or improved 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10; Col. 3:10. The new man is Christ, “formed” in the believer Gal. 2:20; 4:19; Col. 1:27; 1 John 4:12. Margin: righteousness Cmt. on Ro 10:10.)

Eph. 4:30-32 The walk of the believer as indwelt by the Spirit. “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Ep. 5.9 “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth)”

Eph. 5:18 PIV. The walk and warfare of the believer as filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5.l18-6.24). “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

(1) The inner life of the Spirit-filled believer. Eph. 5.19-20 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

(2) The married life of Spirit-filled believers as illustrating Christ and the church. Eph. 5.21-33.

(3) The domestic life of Spirit-filled believers as children and servants. Eph. 6.1-9.

(4) The warfare of Spirit-filled believers. Eph. 6.10-24.

N1 to Ph.1.1, p1257. “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” (Churches (local), Summary: A local church is an assembly of professed believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, living for the most part in one locality, who assemble themselves together in His name for the breaking of bread, worship, praise, prayer, testimony, the ministry of the word, discipline, and the furtherance of the Gospel, Heb 10:25; Ac 20:7; 1Co 14:26; 5:4-5; Php 4:14-18; 1Th 1:8; Ac 13:1-4. Such a church exists where two or three are thus gathered Mt 18:20. Every such local church has Christ in the midst, is a temple of God, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit 1Co 3:16-17. When perfected in organization a local church consists of “saints, with the bishops elders and deacons.”).

Col. 3.1-7 “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Col. 3:8-14 “…But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness….”

I Thessalonians 4.7-8 “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”

N1 p1270 to I Thessalonians 5.23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Man a trinity. That the human soul and spirit are not identical is proved by the facts that they are divisible. Heb 4:12 and that soul and spirit are sharply distinguished in the burial and resurrection of the body. It is sown a natural body (soma psuchikon= “soul-body”), it is raised a spiritual body (soma pneumatikon). 1Co 15:44. To assert, therefore, that there is no difference between soul and spirit is to assert that there is no difference between the mortal body and the resurrection body. In Scripture use, the distinction between spirit and soul may be traced. Briefly, that distinction is that the spirit is that part of man which “knows” 1Co 2:11 his mind; the soul is the seat of the affections, desires, and so of the emotions, and of the active will, the self. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful” Mt 26:38 see also Mt 11:29; Joh 12:27. The word transliterated “soul” in the O.T. (nephesh) is the exact equivalent of the N.T. word for soul (Gr. psuche), and the use of “soul” in the O.T. is identical with the use of that word in the N.T. (see, e.g.) De 6:5; 14:26; 1Sa 18:1; 20:4,17; Job 7:11; 14:22; Ps 42:6; 84:2. The N.T. word for spirit (pneuma) like the O.T. (ruach), is trans. “air”, “breath”, “wind,” but predominantly “spirit,” whether of God (e.g.) Ge 1:2; Mt 3:16 or of man Ge 41:8; 1Co 5:5. Because man is “spirit” he is capable of God-consciousness, and of communication with God Job 32:8; Ps 18:28; Pr 20:27 because he is “soul” he has self- consciousness Ps 13:2; 42:5-6,11 because he is “body” he has, through his senses, world consciousness. Cmt. on Ge 1:26.)

N1 to II Th. 2.3, p1372 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (The order of events is: (1) The working of the mystery of lawlessness under divine restraint which had already begun in the apostle’s time 2Th 2:7; (2) the apostasy of the professing church 2Th 1:3; Lu 18:8; 2Ti 3:1-8.; (3) the removal of that which restrains the mystery of lawlessness 2Th 2:6-7. The restrainer is a person–“he,” and since a “mystery” always implies a supernatural element Cmt. on Mt 13:11 this Person can be none other than the Holy Spirit in the church, to be “taken out of the way” 2Th 2:7; 1Th 4:14-17.; (4) the manifestation of the lawless one 2Th 2:8-10; Da 7:8; 9:27; Mt 24:15; Re 13:2-10; (5) the coming of Christ in glory and the destruction of the lawless one 2Th 2:8; Re 19:11-21; (6) the day of Jehovah 2Th 2:9-12; Isa 2:12).

N1 to II Ti. 1.12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (The believer’s resources in a day of general declension and apostasy are: (1) Faith 2Ti 1:5; (2) the Spirit 2Ti 1:6-7; (3) the word of God 2Ti 1:13; 3:1-17; 4:3-4; (4) the grace of Christ 2Ti 2:1; (5) separation from vessels unto dishonour 2Ti 2:4,20-21; (6) the Lord’s sure reward 2Ti 4:7-8; (7) the Lord’s faithfulness and power 2Ti 2:13,19.)

Tit. 3.5-6 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”

Galatians 2.16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.’

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

1 Peter 1.23-25 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

1 Pe. 2.4-8 “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

N1 to I Pe. 2.9, p1313 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (The New Testament priesthood, Summary: (1) Until the law was given the head of each family was the family priest Ge 8:20; 26:25; 31:54. (2) When the law was proposed, the promise to perfect obedience was that Israel would be unto God “a kingdom of priests” Ex 19:6. but Israel violated the law, and God shut up the priestly office to the Aaronic family, appointing the tribe of Levi to minister to them, thus constituting the typical priesthood Ex 28:1. (3) In the dispensation of grace, all believers are unconditionally constituted a “kingdom of priests” 1Pe 2:9; Re 1:6 the distinction which Israel failed to achieve by works. The priesthood of the believer is, therefore, a birthright; just as every descendant of Aaron was born to the priesthood Heb 5:1. (4) The chief privilege of a priest is access to God. Under law the high priest only could enter “the holiest of all,” and that but once a year Heb 9:7, but when Christ died, the veil, type of Christ’s human body Heb 10:20 was rent, so that now the believer-priests, equally with Christ the High Priest, have access to God in the holiest Heb 10:19-22. The high Priest is corporeally there Heb 4:14-16; 9:24; 10:19-22. (5) In the exercise of his office the New Testament believer-priest is (1) a sacrificer who offers a threefold sacrifice: (a) his own living body. Ro 12:1; Php 2:17; 2Ti 4:6; 1Jo 3:16; Jas 1:27 (b) praise to God, “the fruit of the lips that make mention of His name” (R.V.), to be offered “continually” Heb 13:15; Ex 25:22 “I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat”); (c) his substance Heb 13:16; Ro 12:13; Ga 6:6; 3Jo 1:5-8; Heb 13:2; Ga 6:10; Tit 3:14. (2) The N.T. priest is also an intercessor 1Ti 2:1; Col 4:12)

1 Pe. 4.1-6 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

II Pe. 1.19-21 “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

I Jn. 3.24 “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

I Jn. 4.1-4 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

1 John 4.13-16 “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

1 Jn. 5:6-8 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”

Headnote to 2 Jn., p1326: “…THEME: Second John gives the essentials of the personal walk of the believer in a day when “many deceivers are entered into the world” (2 John 1:7). The key phrase is “the truth,” by which John means the body of revealed truth, the Scriptures. The Bible as the only authority for doctrine and life, is the believer’s resource in a time of declension and apostasy…”

N1 p1326 to 2 Jn. 1.5 “And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.” (Law (of Christ), Summary: The new “law of Christ” is the divine love, as wrought into the renewed heart by the Holy Spirit Ro 5:5; Heb 10:16 and outflowing in the energy of the Spirit, unforced and spontaneous, toward the objects of the divine love 2Co 5:14-20; 1Th 2:7-8. It is, therefore, ” the law of liberty” Jas 1:25; 2:12 in contrast with the external law of Moses. Moses’ law demands love, Le 19:18; De 6:5; Lu 10:27 Christ’s law is love Ro 5:5; 1Jo 4:7,19-20 and so takes the place of the external law by fulfilling it Ro 13:10; Ga 5:14. It is the “law written in the heart” under the New Covenant. (Heb 8:8, note).)

Jude 1.20 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”

The local church sanctified and cleansed by the washing of water by the word——————–A ministry of Charity Baptist Tabernacle of Amarillo, Texas led by Pastor Ben Hickam. "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:1-3). ————————————Jerald Finney, a Christian Lawyer and member of Charity Baptist Tabernacle, having received this ministry in the Lord, explains how a church in America can remain under the Lord Jesus Christ and Him only. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10-11; See also, Ephesians 4::1-16 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-25). "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it" (Colossians 4:17). "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1.22; See also, e.g. Colossians 1:18).

Simply Church

Spiritual Man Vs. Natural Man

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Share this: Separation of Church and State Law

Leave a comment Cancel reply