The Resurrection of Christ

In this episode Brother Jonathan talks about the Resurrection of Christ, Jesus predicting His death and resurrection, harmonizing the accounts, supposed "contradictions", and arguments against the resurrection of Jesus.

 

Remnant Bible Fellowship

S3EP9

The Resurrection of Christ

 

1. This is a very basic episode, and I’m going to repeat things that I’ve done in the episode on Defending the Resurrection of Jesus. If you want a more detailed look at the apologetics for defending the resurrection then you should go listen to that episode. I wanted to not go super in-depth about that here. But, there are questions that get raised sometimes that make it unavoidable to deal with. So I had to repeat some things. There’s no harm in hearing it again if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while.
2. I would recommend that you read Gary Habermas and Michael Licona’s book The Case for the Resurrection if you want to study the subject though. It’s very basic and on a level that a non-scholar get grasp easily.

• Jesus Foretold His Resurrection
  1. In Mark 8:31 we read:
     1. “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31)
        1. There are significant things in the context of this passage to support it as being authentic to the words of Christ. The term “Son of Man”, though used over eighty times in reference to Christ in the Gospels, was not used by the early Christians later to refer to Him. Critics call this the principle of dissimilarity. It’s one of the most skeptical criteria that they use to judge the scriptures, and this passage passes the test. It means that this statement is most likely not something that was added after-the-fact by Christians because it uses a title for Christ that the early Christians didn’t.
        2. Also, this statement is repeated in the parallel passages of Matthew 16:21-23 and Luke 9:22. Those two passages contain Semitic elements in the language that Mark does not include. This shows that multiple sources were most likely used to verify this quote from Christ. They didn’t just copy this passage from one another. This is the critical criteria called multiple attestation. It is verified by more than one source.
        3. Lastly, there are two rebukes in the context of this verse that would have greatly embarrassed the early Christians. The first being that Peter, who would become a leader in the early church, rebuked Jesus for saying that He would die—which is the point of the entire Christian faith. The second being that Christ in turn rebuked Peter for rebuking Him about it. When evidence is presented that would greatly embarrass the person presenting it, in this case the apostles, it is more likely to be true. If it had been made up, such as some claim the gospels are, these types of things would’ve hurt the cause of Christianity and been a source of embarrassment. Therefore, it’s most likely true. This is called the principle of embarrassment.
     2. In Mark 9:31, we read:
        1. “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” (Mark 9:31)
           1. Many scholars hold that this passage may be quite early because the language used shows an Aramaic influence. Anywhere in the Gospels where Aramaic is used or insinuated (e.g. “talatha cumi”), it is believed to predate the text and be original. The common spoken language by the Jews in the first century was Aramaic. Their ancestors had learned it when they were in Babylon hundreds of years before. Also, Jesus is also referred to as Son of Man. This passage therefore is supported by early attestation and dissimilarity.
        2. Thirdly, Jesus’ last supper statements about His body being broken and His blood being shed as found in 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 and Luke 22:15-20 support Christ’s claim for vindication after His resurrection. Both Luke 22:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:25 appearing nearly identical shows that they most likely draw from some independent source predating them both.
           29. In the parallel passage in Mark 14:22-25 we read of Christ saying that He will not drink any more of the fruit of the vine until He drinks it new in the Kingdom of God. In the passage in Luke we read that Christ said that His Father had appointed Him a kingdom in Luke 22:29. His language in Mark 14:25 implies that He expected to be raised and vindicated, but He goes on to directly state that He would rise from the dead in v.28. This text is supported therefore by multiple attestation, early attestation, and dissimilarity.
        3. Fourthly, we see in Jesus’ prayer and conversation with his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane that He was expecting a violent death. This is shown in Mark 14:32-41; Mathew 26:36-45; Luke 22:39-46.
           1. The fact that Jesus showed fear and apprehension about facing death actually bears witness to its truthfulness. Jewish writings were filled with examples of people dying martyrs’ deaths with great bravery, however manufactured some may be. Even the early church had the record of Stephen’s stoning where he showed no fear. The fact that Jesus showed fear and apprehension was quite embarrassing to early Christianity. If the claims for Jesus’ divinity were made up to support an idea for a new religion that the disciples were simply pushing, then why would they make their Savior appear to be afraid and apprehensive? This embarrassing inclusion shows that it is most likely true. These statements are supported therefore by the principle of embarrassment; also, it is supported by multiple attestation.
        4. There are other texts that can be used, but these are the texts that have the supporting evidence of historicity by the standards of critical scholarship. The fact that these claims have such support also greatly raises the probability of the many others as being reliable also. What should be remembered when considering the fact that Christ predicted His own death and resurrection is that the disciples were not convinced of His resurrection because He predicted it. On the contrary, they continued to misunderstand His prediction and not believe it (Mark 8:31-33; 9:31-32; 14:27-31; Luke 24:13-24). Even when people claimed to have seen Him raised, and went to see the empty tomb, the disciples continued to still not believe (John 20:2, 13-15; Luke 24:10-12; John 20:24-25). The question that should be on your mind is: what then caused them to believe it?
     3. Harmonization of Resurrection Morning
        1. A group of women began to go to the tomb to finish the burial custom for Jesus’ body. Mary Magdalene seems to have gone on ahead and while it was still dark.
        2. The Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled away the stone from the tomb—this frightened the guards who were watching the tomb. They most likely passed out because the scripture says they became “as dead”.
        3. Mary Magdalene arrives and finds the tomb open and empty.
        4. She goes to tell Peter and John that they have stolen the Lord’s body.
        5. The other women arrived around sunrise and looked into the tomb and see the two angels sitting. Matthew and Mark only mention one angel because only one spoke (Mat.28:5-7; Mk.16:5-7; Lk.24:4-8)
        6. The angel who spoke told them to go tell the disciples that Jesus was risen and would see them in Galilee.
        7. The women obeyed (Mat.28:8-10). They were very afraid (Mk.16:8).
        8. Peter and John, being retrieved by Mary Magdalene, run to the tomb and see that it is empty. They leave while Mary stays behind weeping.
        9. Mary Magdalene looks into the tomb and sees the two angels. Then she sees Jesus and doesn’t initially recognize Him. After He says her name she recognizes Him. He tells her to go to tell the disciples that He has risen. She obeys. (John 20:17-18)
        10. Mary Magdalene tells the disciples and they don’t believe her.
        11. The other women, while on their way, are met by Jesus. It’s likely that He appeared to them at that time because of how afraid they were. Now, after seeing Him, they go and tell the disciples joyfully that they had seen Him risen from the dead. (Lk.24:9-11)
        12. By this time, the eleven disciples and all the rest had heard from all the women (including Mary Magdalene) and still didn’t believe.
        13. During the day, Jesus later appears to the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus. They returned to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples and are informed that Christ had appeared to Simon Peter. We don’t get much detail about Him appearing to Peter, but it is corroborated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5.
        14. It’s said in Luke 24:33 that the two disciples found “the eleven” gathered together. Jesus then appears to them. But in John 20:24 we’re told that Thomas wasn’t with them. This is most likely an instance of synecdoche. Synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part of something is referred to as the whole, or vice versa. It’s like saying, “Germany invaded France.” The entire country of Germany did not literally walk into France to fight. No, certain soldiers of the Germany army were sent to invade France. The phrase “the eleven” most likely referred to the group of disciples known as the apostles. It is also possible that Thomas left before Christ appeared. One of the reasons speculated is because Thomas was worried his twin brother might be arrested being mistaken for him. His given name in John 20:24, “called Didymus”, means “the twin” in Greek. Either of these explains the text.
        15. Jesus proceeds to eat in their presence, and invites them to touch His resurrection body for them to see that it is physical.
        16. John 21 and Matthew 28:16-17 record later appearances by Christ to the disciples.
        17. Also, Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus when he was traveling to Damascus in Acts 9. Albeit, this was most likely not a physical post-resurrection appearance.
        18. At some point also, James, the half-brother of Jesus, saw the risen Lord also. This is recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:7.
        19. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul states what is believed to be an early Christian creed by scholars. Scholars are beginning to recognize some places in the NT that seem to reference these, or early Christian hymns, because of the peculiar cadence and style of the Greek in these places.
            1. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (1Cor. 15:3-8)
        20. It’s believed by some that the appearance to over 500 disciples at once was on a mountain in Galilee.
        21. We may conclude this list of appearances by reminding ourselves of what Luke said:
            1. “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 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.” (Acts 1:1-4)
        22. Luke states that Christ had appeared to them after his death (his passion) by “many infallible proofs”. Luke also records that the disciples—probably not just the eleven disciples called apostles—saw Jesus physically ascend to heaven.
     4. Supposed Contradictions
        1. I strongly recommend Jason Lisle’s book Keeping Faith in an Age of Reason. It’s the best book on supposed Bible contradictions that I’ve come across. He is thorough, and doesn’t compromise the text to give answers. He also uses logic as he normally does.
        2. I was originally going to go over some supposed contradictions in the resurrection accounts from the gospels but I decided against it. Firstly, because I don’t want to discourage people who might not have a deep enough knowledge of the scriptures by going into logical fallacies and stuff. I may in the future, if requested, do a whole episode on this topic, but I don’t believe it’s necessary right now in this series.
        3. Suffice to say about the matter that most so-called “bible contradictions” don’t even meet the definition of the word “contradiction”. Let me take a minute to explain what I mean by that. A contradiction occurs when two statements cannot be simultaneously true. If I was to say “All S are P” and “Some S are not P” then I have made a contradiction. If all S are P, then it is impossible that some S are not P. This becomes clear when we plug terms in for the symbols. “All Snickers are candy bars” and “Some Snickers are not candy bars”. That is a contradiction. Both of those statements cannot be simultaneously true. If ALL Snickers are candy bars then it is impossible that some of them are not. This is a contradiction.
        4. Most of the time though when someone claims that “the Bible is full of contradictions” they don’t know the definition of the word. So ask them to explain to you what a contradiction is. They’ll probably say that when two statements are different then they are contradictory. Yes, they might be; but different does not mean contradictory.
        5. A common example that is brought up is how many angels did the women see when they were at the tomb of Jesus, one or two? If I said that I saw two cars today would I be incorrect if I then said that I saw one car? Actually, no. One is part of two. There is no contradiction. If I saw two cars, then I necessarily saw one car. In fact, I saw two sets of “one car”. This supposed “bible contradiction” is the subset fallacy. Sometimes amongst the gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) one of the evangelists says one person/angel and the other(s) say two. Which is it? Both. If only one person spoke then why mention the other one? People forget that the way that Greco-Roman bios and histories were written back in the day was not like how we do it today. They did leave things out and shift around events chronologically and such things. They did emphasize things more than others sometimes depending on who they were writing for.
        6. This is how many supposed bible contradictions are claimed for the NT. In addition to that, many times people will read (for example) passages and take them out of context claiming a contradiction. This would be like me picking up a book about Sally who had red hair in chapter one and turning to chapter five where she has blonde hair and claiming that the author is a dunce because of so obvious an error. When I would be the real fool because I didn’t read chapter three and read where it says that she dyed it blonde. This is how most people handle the Bible. They’re not looking for truth they’re looking for any excuse to toss it aside. Their motto is, “I’ll believe anything but Jesus.” So, professing themselves to be wise they will commit themselves to foolishness.
        7. So, if you’re a young Christian especially, I’ve yet to find a supposed “contradiction” in the text that is not explained by logic, textual transmission, or translation procedure.
        8. But like I said, I don’t want to belabor the point now.
     5. Questions
        1. Was Jesus’ resurrection body a physical body?
           1. Yes.
              1. “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.” (Luke 24:36-43)
              2. There is no room in Christianity for the Greek philosophical idea that the physical is evil and spirit is always good. This is the notion that the physical is a limitation that the spirit must escape. It’s a Gnostic idea and not a Christian one. When Jesus rose from the dead He went out of His way to show them that He had a physical body. The disciples touched Him and He ate food in their presence. The difference between that body is that it was not a carnal body. It was, as Paul states:
                 1. “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” (1Cor 15:42-47)
              3. Jesus was resurrected with a physical and yet spiritual body.
           2. What does this mean for believers’ resurrection?
              1. It gives us a pattern for what believers’ resurrection will be like. His resurrection body is what ours will be like.
                 1. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Php 3:20-21)
              2. When we are physically born we bear the image of Adam, and when we are born again we are molded into the image of Christ. At the resurrection of believers we will see the fulfillment of this. This is the “already/not yet” principle of the scriptures. Christ has already purchased these things, and so they are as good as done, but the total fulfillment of them has not yet come.
                 1. “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1Cor 15:49)
                 2. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1Jn 3:2)
                 3. “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.” (Rom 8:11)

• The significance of the Resurrection?
  1. Unquestionable proof of His deity.
  2. Unquestionable proof of the Christian faith.
  3. The proof of His redemption.
• Skeptics Arguments
  1. There are certain facts that theories about Jesus’ resurrection must account for. There are four minimal facts that enjoy almost unanimous support from scholars who study the subject, and the one fact that enjoys about seventy-five percent of support. I’ll list them here:
     1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
     2. Very shortly after Jesus’ death, the disciples had experiences that led them to believe and proclaim that Jesus had been resurrected and had appeared to them.

• Within a few years after Jesus’ death, Saul—who persecuted Christians—converted (and became Paul) after experiencing what he interpreted as a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to him.

1. Not too long after Jesus’ death, James the brother of Jesus—who was a skeptic—converted after experiencing what he interpreted as a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to him.
2. The tomb was empty the third day after Jesus’ death.

1. Any explanation that is put forth to account for Christianity has to explain all of these things. That is how well they are supported historically. If you can’t account for these facts, then you don’t have an explanation: you have an excuse. Failure to account for any one fact out of this group shows that it most likely can’t be true.
2. Now, I am limited by how long I can keep your attention in a podcast episode. There are a number of theories that have been put forth to explain the resurrection claim of Jesus Christ. I may do a more in-depth episode on arguments against the resurrection of Jesus in the near future, but I’m going to limit myself to just a few in this episode—for the reason that they are more common.
   1. Legend Theory
      1. There are three forms of this one: Embellishment, Non-historical genre, and myths in other religions. We’ll talk about the embellishment and myths in other religions now, because I’ve heard them more commonly used.
   2. Legend Theory: Embellishment
      1. If you’ve ever heard a professor or teacher use the “telephone” analogy about how the gospel story grew over time, or that by way of gossip Jesus’ reputation was swelled, etc. There are usually appeals like, “We all know what it’s like to hear how far our grandfather walked in the snow to school, and every time it gets farther.” Or even, “We all understand how the ‘telephone’ game works. If that much distortion could happen in five minutes, how much would happen in hundreds of years!” That’s the embellishment theory.
      2. This sounds really smart in a classroom setting where there is a lot of peer pressure to keep quiet, but it’s a terrible explanation. For one, even critical scholars question very few words in the New Testament. So whatever legend embellishment creeped in it had to do it before the New Testament was written: which is quite quick. Here are some points to consider though:
         1. The resurrection story itself can be traced back to the real experiences of the original apostles. Right out of the gate, fifty days after the death of Jesus, they were preaching the bodily resurrection of Jesus.
         2. The church persecutor Paul was converted through a personal experience that he had apart from what was being preached by the early church. He was converted very early, one to three years after Jesus’ death. His hostility to the resurrection claim of early Christians makes it highly unlikely that he would’ve been persuaded by simple fable.
         3. This also applies to the skeptic James. He had an experience that he believed to be the risen Jesus which led to his conversion apart from any story that he heard.
         4. It also doesn’t account for why the tomb was empty. If it was just embellishment, then the body would still have been in the tomb.
         5. Merely asserting something is not proving it. The resurrection claim has facts that back it up. Any other theory put forth has to have evidence too, otherwise it’s just arbitrary. It’s being made up to deny a conclusion without accounting for the evidence that leads to it. You may want to deny the resurrection of Jesus, but you have to account for the evidence.

• Myths in other religions
  1. This theory says that the disciples merely copied from other religions which also had claims of resurrection. Skeptics will often cite Osiris, Tammuz, Adonis, Attis, and Marduk as examples of resurrection claims in other religions. There are some notable problems with this theory though.
     1. Many of the accounts in these other religions are very unclear. You end up not being very sure about whether or not it is claiming a resurrection at all. They are often vague, and don’t resemble the story of Christ’s resurrection at all. They either rose to heaven on the horse Pegasus, or their names are declared among the stars. The majority of critical scholars today say that these myths in other religions didn’t do what skeptics claim. Remember, there is a difference between a scholar who knows the data, and a skeptic who just denies things.
     2. The first actual account of a dying and rising god that somewhat parallels the story of Jesus is at least 100 years after the death of Jesus’. The earliest being Adonis. Even in the earliest writings about Adonis there is no death and resurrection. It was added later. Contrast this with the fact that the death and resurrection of Jesus was being publicly preached fifty days after His public death and burial. There is not a clear death and resurrection of Marduk. There are conflicting stories about what happened to Osiris. In fact, there are actually no accounts that claim Osiris rose from the dead. The tale of Osiris actually predates Christianity, but it is more a story of becoming a zombie than resurrection. It’s also notable that Osiris is not even the hero of the story.
     3. Secondly, these other accounts in other religions lack any evidence and are easily explainable. Even Islamic scholars regard the tales of miracles done by Muhammad as untrustworthy because they didn’t appear until seventy-five years after His death. Contrast this with the stories of Jesus’ miracles which were widely known while He was alive, and even His enemies have recorded it. These “parallel accounts” consist of long time past events that didn’t circulate when eyewitnesses could be examined.
     4. Thirdly, this still doesn’t account for any of the evidence that we have. Jesus died by crucifixion. The disciples sincerely believed and proclaimed His resurrection. Paul, who was hostile, was converted based on a personal experience. James, who was skeptical, was converted based on a personal experience. Not to mention the tomb was actually empty. This argument actually doesn’t explain anything.
  2. You get the idea of how the facts work. Does the theory actually explain the evidence? Is there actual evidence that the theory is true? Is it just made up to deny the resurrection without dealing with the evidence? We can go through a whole lot more:
     1. “The disciples stole the body…” Then why was Paul converted separately from them by a personal experience? Why was James converted separately by a personal experience? Why would they die for what they knew to be a lie if all the evidence points to the fact that they sincerely believed it?
     2. “It was a hallucination…” Even if we were to grant the first mass hallucination ever recorded—which is contrary to the definition of a hallucination—then how does this account for the evidence? The tomb was empty. Paul was converted separate from the disciples, and later, and was unsympathetic to their cause. James was converted separate, and later, and was unsympathetic to their cause. Also, there is no evidence for this.

• “Someone else stole the body…” Why was Paul converted then by a personal experience? What was James converted? Also, the disciples didn’t believe based on an empty tomb. They believed when they professed to have seen, and touched, Jesus’ resurrected body. Also, there is no evidence for this.

1. “They went to the wrong tomb…” Even if this were true, the appearances to the disciples need to be accounted for. They were converted after professing to see Jesus and touch Him, not from an empty tomb. Paul was not convinced by an empty tomb, but was converted based on a personal experience though he was unsympathetic to their cause. That goes for James as well. There is also no source that says that they went to the wrong tomb. Also, the text records that it was the rich man Joseph of Arimethea whose tomb He was buried in. This indicates that the location was known. Certainly the guards who were guarding it would’ve known where it was.
2. “He didn’t actually die…” This is the swoon theory. The Journal of the American Medical Association, March 21 1986, says that this is impossible given the pathological effects of Jesus’ scourging and crucifixion. Are you honestly going to tell me that given Jesus’ scourging—which historically exposed bones, veins, and internal organs at times—and crucifixion—in which He was nailed through His hands and feet to a cross and stabbed in the side—that He pushed the stone away from the door by Himself, beat up the guards that were watching His tomb by Himself, walked to where His disciples were hiding (because somehow He knew where they were), and appeared in this state and proclaimed Himself the Prince of Life? This contradicts what Paul saw also. Paul records a glorious appearance of the risen Jesus.
3. “They were just delusional…” That doesn’t explain the empty tomb. It also doesn’t explain the conversion of Paul who was unsympathetic to the Christians and thought that Jesus got what He deserved. The same goes for James who thought that Jesus was a false prophet who got what He deserved.

1. There is literally no other theory that can account for the data. This leaves us with one conclusion. The strength of the historical facts, plus the failure of these alternative naturalistic theories to account for the data, leads us to conclude that the resurrection of Jesus must be taken as a historical event.

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Bible Study: Galatians 5:13-6:10

In this episode Brother Jonathan leads a home Bible study. There are gaps in sound quality for questions that are asked or testimonies.

 

The Role of the Spirit in our Lives

Gal 5:13-6:10

(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.”

            The “liberty” Paul is speaking of is the Law of Moses, the Old Covenant; which taught that “if you do these things then you shall live by them.” (Gal. 3:12) Some people had come in the churches of Galatia and were telling people that they had to keep the Law of Moses. It was the external check-list way of salvation that most people want. All it brings is death because none of us can keep it. But the reason that it was given in the first place was to show us our need to be saved, and for salvation to be by grace. (Gal. 3:19, 24)

            The fact that we have been saved from this method of salvation (the external check-list) should not be used for an excuse to sin. This is the primary contrasting being done by Paul in the book of Galatians. Most of us tend to think that Paul is mainly talking about works versus faith, but the main thrust of Paul’s arguments is flesh versus spirit. If you are trying to live by the external check-list means of salvation (“I can do this God, I can keep your law by myself”) then you are in the flesh and cursed in the sight of God. (Gal. 3:10)

            “For all the law is fulfilled in this” – So after Paul says that we are set at liberty from the Law he proceeds to emphasize what fulfills it. This is because the new covenant in Christ’s blood achieves the same goal as the Law of Moses. The goal is loving service to God first, and others second. Christ Himself said that it was these two commandments that fulfilled the whole Law. So, in essence, the Spirit of God dwelling in us and being the guiding moral agent of our lives has replaced the outward checklist of the Law. The Law of Moses has been replaced by the Spirit of God to achieve the same desired end.

(16-18) “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 if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

            Paul tells us very explicitly what will end our fulfilling the lusts of the fles (sin): walk in the spirit. Paul uses the verb tense that makes clear it is a commandment. He is directly telling us that it can be done if we are Christians, but because it’s a commandment it takes a freewill choice on our part. This is the “how” answer to v.13-14. If we walk in the Spirit then we fulfill the Law, and if we are fulfilling the purpose of the Law then we are not sinning. There is no room in what Paul says for us to come to the conclusion that we can somehow be Christians and live like unbelievers. I like how Gordon Fee sums this up:

            “Life in the Spirit is not passive submission to the Spirit to do a supernatural work in one’s life; rather, it requires conscious effort, so that the indwelling Spirit may accomplish the ends in one’s life. One is urged to ‘walk in the Spirit’ or ‘live by the Spirit’ by deliberately ‘conforming one’s life to the Spirit’ (v. 25). If such a person is also described as being ‘led by the Spirit,’ that does not mean passively; it means to rise up and follow the Spirit by walking in obedience to the Spirit’s desire.” (Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul, p.433)

            Some try to use v.17 to say that Christians will live ungodly lives from time to time and that this is okay. They also twist Romans 7 for the same reason. I don’t want to belabor the issue now, but there’s one point that makes it clear for me. Paul tells us exactly how to NOT fulfill the lusts of the flesh! If it is not that simple, “walk in the Spirit”, then Paul has lied. The presence of the Spirit of God in us is what enables us to not walk in the flesh. We have to choose to yield to His leading and deny those things offered to us in opposition to Him. The flesh and the Spirit have different desires, and so to yield to one is to deny the other. These two are not equal parts in us. We are choosing one or the other in all that we do. The basic principle here is that if we are Christians we are not free to do our own will. We have given ourselves to God and now our will is to do HIS will. As the Spirit leads we will follow or we revert back to the state of “doing our own thing” under the law, and according to the flesh.

V.18 makes clear what Paul is talking about. In v.16 Paul was stating the sufficiency of the Spirit to enable us to not continue to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. In v.17 he explains that the two are in opposition to each other. So that if we are under the Spirit then we cannot do the things that we will. Now, in v.18, Paul reinforces the point that if we are led by the Spirit we are not under that Law of Moses. It is not that we have no standards or guiding moral principle for our life. We have not become lawless by not being under the Law of Moses. We have someone leading us by their will: the presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit.

           

(19-23) “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

            Having talked about how the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition to each other, Paul now sets the works/fruits of them in contrast. These are not exhaustive lists either, nor are they lists given to examine ourselves by. That’s not the reason that Paul is talking about this now. He is merely setting the two in contrast. That there are other things not mentioned on this list is clear from Paul saying “they which do such things”.

            It is almost certainly intentional on Paul’s part to state it as “works” as opposed to “fruits”. The “works” of the flesh are because of human effort. The “fruits” of the Spirit are because of God’s empowering.

            Notice also that Paul says that if we practice the things stated here, or do “such things”, that we will not inherit the kingdom of God. This also undermines the idea that such works are common or normal for Christians.

(24-26) “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 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.”

1. 24 explains WHY the imperative/promise from v.16 works. Those who have identified with Christ’s death have crucified their flesh (2:20; 6:14). We are not just trying to submit the flesh to the Law: the flesh is crucified. Our ability to obey is only possible because of two things: (1) Our flesh has been crucified, and (2) that we are empowered by the spirit.
2. 25 Those that are Christ’s have died (2:20), their flesh is crucified. In contrast, we live in/by the Spirit. This is mentioned regularly in the NT. We die to ourselves because we have given ourselves to God. It’s obvious that if we have died, and have been given new life, then our manner of living will change also.

            The Greek word for “walk” emphasizes conforming to a standard. The Jews used the term “walk” to mean how we live. Paul is telling us here (it’s an imperative) that WE are to CONFORM ourselves to the pattern of the Spirit of God. Also, the fact that it’s an imperative shows us that conscious effort is meant. It is not a passive waiting for God to change us.

16. 26 After the imperative to behave in conformity to the Spirit Paul follows with telling them what NOT to do. This wraps up Paul’s main line of reasoning that he started in v.15-16. Now he starts with general imperatives about how that looks. After he says, “let us live in the Spirit”, he begins to say “let us not”.

(6:1-3) “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

            Paul begins talking about how we should behave. He states in v.26 how NOT to treat brethren, and then states here about how we should treat brethren.

            V.3 tells us that if we think that we are a proper Christian, and are not actually doing the things that are in agreement with the Spirit of God (we are nothing), then we are deceived about our true state. This is stated elsewhere in the NT:

            “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1Jn. 2:4)

            V.2 “the law of Christ” means the pattern that Christ Himself has given us. Paul sets the standard of Christ, who indwells believers by the Spirit, in opposition to the Law of Moses. We are to “fill to the full” the standard of how Christ lived and commanded in our lives. We are to follow His steps.

            The same type of reasoning Paul uses here is mentioned in Philippians:

            “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Php 2:1-8)

            Because of our living in/by the Spirit we ought to behave a certain way and conform ourselves to the standard of Christ Jesus.

(4-6) “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”

            Paul is going through some general imperatives to illustrate life in the Spirit.

            I will clear up any confusion. Paul says in v.2 that we are to “bear one another’s burdens” and in v. 5 for us to “bear [our] own burden”. This is not a contradiction: it is a translation issue. The two Greek words underlying the English word “burden” are different. In v.2 burden is referring to our personal griefs, while in v. 5 it is referring to a person’s load in the sense of ministry. In this sense, we are all accountable for ourselves to God. But in the former sense, of personal griefs or struggles, we are to watch and care for our brethren.

            V.6 Is really saying, “Let him that is taught the word support the one who teaches.” It is really a “support the ministry” command. The word “communicate” means “distribute, be partaker, share”.

(7-10) “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. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

            V.7-10 is usually ripped from the context and said to have nothing to do with the Spirit of God or the life of the believer. But the content of what Paul says only makes sense in the context of the life of the believer.

            Paul is now wrapping-up what he began back in 5:13: The role of the Spirit in our lives.

            Paul here warns that God will deal with us according to our manner of living. He will not be “mocked”. Because the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition to one another, and all those that belong to Christ have crucified the flesh and are conforming themselves with the Spirit of God and the pattern of Christ, if you live after the flesh it is because you have rejected Christ in some way. There is no other logical option. Though, there are many deceived about this.

“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” (1Jn 3:7)

            Paul emphasizes this point with his warning about the eternal consequences of how we live. If we live after the flesh we reap eternal destruction (corruption). The language that has dominated what Paul has said is “walk in the Spirit”, “be led by the Spirit”, bear the “fruit of the Spirit”, and “conform yourself to the Spirit”. (5:16 and 5:25 have two different words for “walk”. In v.16 walk means to follow in and in v.25 it means to conform yourself to) The “fruit” of these things that are “sown” by us is everlasting life.

            We know also that “corruption” is eternal because it is set directly in contrast to everlasting life. If we live after the flesh we are eternally condemned by God no matter what we profess.

“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?” (Rom. 6:16)

            Paul’s warning is not about filling an early grave. We know this because even Christians who live righteously still physically die. It cannot be warning us about that then. It is because if we choose to live after the flesh, when to live after the Spirit has been made completely possible for us by what Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection. He bore it all, He rose from the dead, and the Spirit of God makes all that Christ accomplished in breaking the bondage of sin real in our lives…if we yield to it.

            Paul then finishes his point by encouraging them to not give in and as we have opportunity to do good.

So let’s summarize Paul’s points.

• Christians have been called to liberty: we don’t have to keep the Law of Moses; but this does not mean that we don’t have commandments to keep. The external check-list has been replaced by the person of Jesus Christ.
• If we want to have a check-list salvation, the “I can do my own thing” attitude, then we are in the flesh. The flesh is in opposition to the Spirit of God. All have sinned because we have done our own thing. When we come to Christ we die to that old way of life. We give ourselves to God and are bought like slaves.
  • “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.” (1Cor. 6:19-20)
• When we accept the gospel – that Jesus Christ died for us, that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures – we repented of doing our thing independently of God. He’s our God now. We willfully accept His leading and His ways and His salvation. We couldn’t earn our way to Heaven, that’s the Law. We knew that and asked Him to save us. So being a Christian necessarily means that we have given up the Law of Moses, or independence from God. Now…God gets all of us.
• Our old works that we did when doing our own thing are to be put away, and as we are committed to Jesus Christ we now follow Him. As we walk in that commitment to Christ God works in us by His Spirit the fruits of His presence.
• All those who are Christ’s have died to themselves and crucified the flesh: we are not seeking our own will but the will of God to be done in our lives. I live, but I’m dead, and Christ is the one living in and through me by my constant yielding to Him. I defer to His judgment in all of my life choices.
• We are not to live trying to exalt ourselves over others, or arrogantly, but we are to serve others and care about them and their struggles. The selfishness of how we lived before must be put to an end.
• If we live contrary to the Spirit of God we will reap eternal death. If we watchfully live after the Spirit of God then we will reap eternal life. So we must continually maintain our commitment to Christ in all that we do.
• We are deceived if we think that we can live in sin and be right with God.

Here's our new episode:

The Death of Christ

In this episode Brother Jonathan talks about the death of Christ.

 

Remnant Bible Fellowship

S3EP7

The Death of Christ

 

1. Introduction
   1. I was having a hard time deciding what to do in this episode because this topic can get quite deep theologically. I have already done two episodes on the atonement of Christ which covered quite a lot of stuff so I didn’t want to rehash all of that again. Our focus in this series is on basic doctrine. So I’m only going focus on basic things regarding the death of Christ. We’re going to have to repeat some things though. After praying, I remembered the early creed in 1 Corinthians 15 and settled on what Paul emphasizes about Christ’s death.
   2. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” (1Cor. 15:3-6)
   3. That’s the key to understanding Christ’s death. It was according to the scriptures. I’m going to talk about some things, and hopefully there will be a clear through-line.
2. Spotless Lamb
   1. When Christ’s earthly ministry was about to begin, John the Baptist pointed him out:
      1. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
   2. This is a reference to the paschal [Passover] lamb. We read about it in Exodus when God first instructs Moses about Passover before they were sent out of Egypt by Pharaoh:
      1. “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” (Exo. 12:5-6)
   3. Christ is later referred to as our Passover lamb:
      1. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” (1Cor. 5:7)
   4. Isaiah had even referred to the Messiah as a lamb being led to the slaughter:
      1. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isa. 53:7)
   5. The point of the Passover lamb later was to make atonement for the congregation of Israel. In the first Passover in Egypt though it was the blood of the lamb that was looked upon by God to spare them from judgment.
      1. “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exo. 12:13)
   6. There is actually a lot of prophetic foreshadowing here of the Messiah. This type of old testament foreshadowing is referred to as a “type” from the Greek word “tupos” meaning “an archetype serving as a model, type, pattern, model”. Egypt actually pictures the world, and as judgment is coming upon the world God has appointed a way to escape that judgment. When the blood of a spotless lamb was placed over their doorways God would see the blood and spare those in the house. Even so, when the blood of Christ is applied to us God spares us the judgment that is coming on the entire world. There are many aspects of Christ that are typified – prophetically pictured by a pattern – in the Old Testament.
   7. God had appointed blood to be that which atones for sin.
      1. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Lev. 17:11)
      2. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb. 9:22)
   8. Even so, Christ’s blood was that which was shed for us.
      1. “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1Pet. 1:17-21)
      2. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev. 1:5-6)

• “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Eph. 1:7)

1. You see a principle throughout the scriptures that those who live wickedly will have their own blood shed as a way for God to execute judgment on them.
   1. “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (Gen. 9:6)
   2. “And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.” (Lev. 24:17)

• “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.” (Exo. 21:12)

1. “Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction [ransom] for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.” (Num. 35:31-33)
   1. This passage is instructing the Israelites under the old covenant that there was no sacrifice or payment that could be made to save certain criminals from their punishment of death. They had to pay for it with their own life. King David actually refers to this in Psalm 51 when he is repenting for his sin of murdering Uriah and committing adultery with his wife Bathsheba:
      1. “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.” (Psa. 51:16)
   2. Now, there is a big difference between the Old Covenant Law of Moses and the New Covenant in Christ’s blood. Now there is grace and mercy which were pictured in the OT – David goes on to say that the sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite heart, and God forgives David of his sin – but the pattern of what is required for sin is still there:
      1. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)
   3. The true underlying principle as laid out by God is that all men have sinned against Him and have broken His law and therefore all of us pay for it with our lives, and after that the judgment where there will be meted out eternal punishment.
      1. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Rom. 5:12)
      2. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Heb. 9:27)
   4. The key to understanding the pattern of sacrifice for sin as laid out in the Old Testament by God is the idea of substitution. God ordained that a substitutionary sacrifice could be offered in one’s place. Under the Old Covenant it was animal sacrifices. But these had a problem in that they couldn’t change man’s heart to stop sinning.
      1. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Heb. 10:4)
   5. So, in order for God to accomplish what He desired – a full restoration and reconciliation of mankind to Himself – not only must the sacrifice be effective to pardon but also to change and make new the heart of man.
      1. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Heb. 9:11-15)
   6. Christ’s death was a new, and effective, sacrifice that made possible not only our reconciliation to God the Father, but also was made a way to change our hearts and desires to serve God.
      1. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (2Cor. 5:14-15)
      2. “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.” (Gal. 2:20)

• “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 8:7-12)

1. The Old Testament pictures were only a shadow of what was to come. They were foreshadowing what God was going to do so that when the realization of them came, and happened, the Jews would be able to look back and see that it was what God was planning. That’s the way Biblical prophecy works. There are patterns throughout the Law, the writings, and prophets, which have a future ultimate fulfillment. Christ’s death is the ultimate fulfillment of the entire Levitical sacrificial system.
   1. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom. 10:4)
   2. “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24)

• “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.” (1Pet. 1:10-12)

1. Christ accomplished everything to pay for our sins, and to reconcile us to God.
   1. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1-2)
   2. “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Rom. 5:9)

• “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13)

• So in all of these ways, Christ saved us in what He accomplished in His death:
  1. He was the spotless lamb, the one appointed before the world began to be a sinless sacrifice.
  2. He is our trespass offering, sin offering, and whole burnt offering.
  3. He is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption.
  4. He is our prophet, High Priest, and King.
  5. He accomplished everything to pay for our transgressions, reconcile us to God, and enable us to walk with God from this day forward.

1. Old Testament Prophecies Regarding Christ’s Death
   1. He was to be scourged and spat on.
      1. “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isa. 50:6)
      2. “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,” (Mat. 26:67)

• “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” (Mat. 27:26)

1. He was to be reckoned among wicked men in his death.
   1. “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isa. 53:12)
   2. “Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.” (Mat. 27:38)
2. He was to be given vinegar to drink.
   1. “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psa. 69:21)
3. His hands and feet were to be pierced.
   1. “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.” (Psa. 22:16)
   2. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zech. 12:10)

• “And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.” (Mark 15:25)

1. “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” (John 20:25-27)

1. His garments were to be parted in his death.
   1. “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Psa. 22:18)
   2. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34)

• “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.” (John 19:23-24)

1. He was to be surrounded and ridiculed by His enemies.
   1. “All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” (Psa. 22:7-8)
   2. “And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.” (Mat. 27:39-44)
2. Not one of his bones would be broken.
   1. “In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.” (Exo. 12:46)
   2. “They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.” (Num. 9:12)

• “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.” (Psa. 34:20)

1. “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.” (John 19:33-36)

1. He would be looked at and stared at in death.
   1. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zech. 12:10)
   2. “And sitting down they watched him there;” (Mat. 27:36)

• “And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” (John 19:37)

1. He would be buried with the rich.
   1. “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isa. 53:9)
   2. “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” (Mat. 27:57-60)
2. He was crucified.
   1. Jesus of Nazareth was crucified.
   2. Death by crucifixion gives an extremely low survival rate. Most who argue that Jesus could have survived crucifixion are ignorant as to what it medically entailed. When
      Josephus came to Jerusalem after Rome was sacked by Titus, he saw three of his friends crucified but still alive. He asked Titus, who was acquainted with him, to let them go. Even though Titus conceded in letting his friends down two of them still died from their wounds. This is the only ancient source recording any one ever surviving crucifixion. Also, there is no ancient evidence that Jesus was let down from the cross before dying.
   3. Let’s not forget also that Jesus was scourged first before being led to be crucified. This scourging, as related in The Martyrdom of Polycarp, reported some who were so torn by whips that their veins and arteries became visible. Josephus tells of a man who, just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, was whipped to the bone by one of Pilate’s successors. Some were reportedly whipped to the extent that their intestines were exposed. Truly, it was a miracle that Jesus survived long enough to even be crucified.
   4. Historically, Michael Licona said: “In summary, the historical evidence is very strong that Jesus died by crucifixion. The event is multiply attested by a number of ancient sources, some of which are non-Christian and thus not biased toward a Christian interpretation of events. They appear in multiple literary forms, being found in annals, historiography, biography, letters, and tradition in the form of creeds, oral formulas, and hymns. Some of the reports are very early and can reasonably be traced to the Jerusalem apostles. The Passion Narratives appear credible, since they fulfill the criterion of embarrassment and contain numerous plausible details. Finally, the probability of surviving crucifixion was very low.”[i]
   5. It is no wonder then that the rather skeptical scholar Paula Fredriksen said, “The single most solid fact about Jesus’ life is his death: he was executed by the Roman prefect Pilate, on or around Passover, in the manner Rome reserved particularly for political insurrectionists, namely, crucifixion.”[ii]
3. Closing
   1. Hopefully, you learned something about the death of Christ. I know, for some of us, there was nothing really new in this episode. For some new or younger Christians though, a lot of this may have been new.
   2. Lord willing, next time we’re going to talk about the resurrection of Christ. I’ve already done an apologetics episode defending the resurrection of Christ. I even put a snippet from that episode in this episode, but I don’t want to do a super in-depth look at the resurrection again. So, we’re going to try to bring it down to the basics.

[i] Licona (2010) p. 312

[ii] Fredriksen, P. Jesus of Nazareth: King of the Jews. New York: Vintage, 1999: 8.

Here's our new episode:

About the Trinity

In this episode Brother Jonathan talks about the Trinity, some of the Greek support for it, and passages which demonstrate it.

 

Remnant Bible Fellowship

S3EP6

About the Trinity                                                                                           

 

1. Definition
   1. The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible. It was first used by Tertullian, a bishop in Northern Africa who lived from about 145-220 AD. Tertullian, along with others such as Athanasias, was the first to articulate and systematize what was described in the scriptures regarding the triune nature of God.
2. There is One God
   1. The Bible is very clear that there is only ONE God.
      1. “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:” (Isa 45:5)
      2. “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.” (Deu 4:39)

• “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:” (Mar 12:29)

1. The fact that God is “one” is clearer in the Hebrew.
   1. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” (Deu 6:4)
2. The Hebrew word that we translate as “one” here is “echad”. It means “unity” or “oneness”. In this word is implied the plurality of the Godhead. Even in the first title applied to God in the OT there is plurality in unity:
   1. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)
3. The Hebrew word translated as “God” is “elohim”. It is the plural form of the word “el”. When it is used to refer to God this plural form of the word is always referred to in the singular. So, it is plurality in unity. Even some Jewish Rabbis have commented on this.
   1. “Come and see the mystery of the word Elohim; there are three degrees, and each degree by itself alone, and yet notwithstanding they are all one, and joined together in one, and are not divided from each other.” (Simeon ben Joachi)
4. This gives a better backdrop to how the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit can all be three persons in one being.

• Persons and Being
  1. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is distinctly monotheistic. Monotheism is the belief that there is only one being in all the universe who can be called God. This is different than the belief of Unitarianism. Unitarianism is the belief that God is one person, and not a tri-une God. Christians are necessarily monotheistic. The term “person” is used theologically to describe the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit within the Godhead. They are all the same being. God is numerically one being, but He is manifested in three distinct persons. All three persons are equally God and each has their own will, and refers to themselves as “I” and others as “you”.
  2. Many of these terms were argued about for the first centuries of Christianity. The question for Christians was not so much “what does the Bible say”, as much as, “How do we explain/systematize this doctrine?” It is obviously confusing at times to try and understand. Several terms were thrown around during early Christian debates.
     1. “ousia” (ousia), means “essence; being” – “that which exists and therefore has substance” (BDAG)
     2. “homos” (o{moV) means, “all the same, nevertheless, yet; likewise, equally” (BDAG)

• “homoios” (o{moioV) means, “of the same nature; like, similar” (BDAG)

1. These three terms were very important when Christians were trying to systematize their doctrine of God. When they are put together the question at hand was:
   1. Is Jesus “the same being” [homoousin, o{moousin] with the Father?
   2. OR, Is Jesus “a similar being” [homoiousin, o{moiousin] with the Father? (Sabellianism)
2. This may seem like splitting-hairs but it is really a serious question. Is Jesus an entirely separate being who is only SIMILAR to God, or is He the SAME BEING (ousia)? According to the Bible, this is the difference between denying Jesus and believing on Him.
   1. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as [Gr. Kathos, “just as”] they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” (John 5:22-23)
   2. “He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” (Joh 15:23)

• “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” (1Jn 2:23)

1. “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2Jn 1:9-11)

1. It is explicitly stated that if we deny the personhood of Jesus Christ as He relates to the Father that we sever any relationship with God at all. Someone cannot deny that Jesus is the unique Son of God – in the sense of being the same being with the Father – and be a Christian.
2. If someone were to try to say – as some do – that Jesus is NOT the same being as the Father, but still try to say that He is divine is some sense, then what you have is a belief in multiple gods. To deny the Trinity, while trying to maintain that Jesus is equal with God (the Son of God), is to descend to polytheism; but to deny that Jesus is equal with God (the same being) means that Jesus couldn’t have redeemed mankind. The only understanding of these things that makes sense of what the Bible plainly describes in salvation, doctrine, and all commandments, is that God is three persons in one being (tri-une).
3. Kerry D. McRoberts said, “The distinctions among the three members of the Godhead do not refer to their essence or substance, but to their relationships. ‘There are three, not in status, but in degree; not in substance, but in form; not in power, but in manifestation.’” (Horton, Systematic Theology, p. 167)
4. Another word over which there was discussion was the word “hupostasis” (u{postasiV). It means, “the essential or basic structure/ nature of an entity; substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality.” (BDAG)
5. Jesus is said in Hebrews 1:3 to be the “express image of his [God’s] ‘hupostasis’”. The KJV renders it as “person”. Other versions variously render it substance, being, nature, essence. Paul says in Colossians that Jesus “is the visible image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15) In fact, the only part of God that can be physically touched – in the most basic sense – is Jesus. The Son of God became a human being and subjected Himself to a physical human body. In His resurrection body, He demonstrated that He was able to be touched. (See Luke 24:39 and John 20:27) But God the Father is primarily a Spirit (John 4:24).

1. John 1:1
   1. The language used by the writers of the New Testament was intentionally specific in many instances. One of the best examples is John 1:1.
      1. “En a[rch/: h\n oJ lovgoV, ka;i oJ lovgoV h\n pro;s to;n qeovn, ka;i qeo;V h\n oJ lovgoV.” (John 1:1)
   2. The last part of the verse is what we’re going to look at (1:1c): ka;i qeo;V h\n oJ lovgoV. “and the Word was God “ (KJV) – Literally, it would be “and God was the Word”.
   3. In Koine Greek, when something is emphasized in a sentence it is thrown to the front of the sentence. This can be done without affecting the meaning because word order in Greek does not usually affect the grammatical translation. So, if you want to emphasize something you would put it at the front of the sentence and still have the same translation, but you would make clear that something is being emphasized. In John 1:1c, the word “theos” is put at the front of the clause. What is more interesting is that it doesn’t have the article in front of it, “oJ”. When a name is mentioned it usually had the article in front of it. This is very noticeable in the NT, because the word for God usually has the article in front of it.
   4. There are some very good reasons for this wording. It is intentional on the Apostle John’s part. He is being very specific about what doctrine he is describing.
      1. “Theos” is put in emphasis to stress its essence or quality. John says, “What God was, the Word was.”
      2. Its lack of a definite article shows us that the person of the Word (Jesus Christ) is not to be confused with the person of “God” (the Father).
   5. This tells us that John the Apostle was specifically teaching that Jesus was one in essence or being with the Father and has all the attributes of the Father, but that Jesus Christ is not the same “person” (in the theological sense) as the Father. This very clearly supports the tri-unity of God.
   6. Consider how easily this could’ve been different if John was teaching something else:
      1. Kai; oJ lovgoV h\n oJ qeovV – “and the Word was the God” (i.e., the Father, Sabellianism)
         1. Sabellius was a teacher of modalistic monarchianism from the third century. This idea taught that as things got farther from the “one” or “divine mind” they became less and less like it. The lowest form of these being those of the physical universe. The idea shows a Greek philosophical influence. It relegated Jesus to being “a god” and less than the Father in divine nature. It also made Jesus dependent on something else for His existence. Sabellius taught that the Son’s nature was LIKE the Father’s but not the SAME as the Father’s. He was condemned as a heretic by the Christians.
      2. Kai; oJ lovgoV h\n qeovV – “and the Word was a god” (Arianism)
         1. Arius was a follower of dynamic monarchianism. This is the idea that Jesus BECAME a god after a progression of increasing exaltation. He taught that Jesus was a created being and was only unique in that he was God’s greatest creation. Arius’ attack on the divinity of Christ is what led to the Council of Nicaea. Many Christian leaders came together to defend the divinity of Christ against Arius’ teachings (who had openly been excommunicated). They formulated the Nicene Creed as a result.
         2. Arius’ teachings about Jesus’ divinity are still taught today by the Watchtower Society: Jehovah’s Witnesses.

• Kai; qeovV h\n oJ lovgoV – “and the Word was God” (Biblical) Jesus is one in being/essence with the Father, but is different in person.

1. The Trinity at Work in Redemption (Matthew Slick)
   1. Incarnation – The Father incarnated the Son in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit.
      1. “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.” (Luk 1:35)
   2. Baptism in the Jordan River – The Spirit descended on the Son, and the Father spoke His approval from heaven.
      1. “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 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: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mat 3:14-17)
   3. Public Ministry – The Father anointed the Son with the Spirit.
      1. “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.” (Act 10:38)
   4. The Crucifixion – Jesus offered Himself to the Father through the Spirit.
      1. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14)
   5. The Resurrection – The Father resurrected the Son by the Spirit.
      1. “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” (Act 2:32)
      2. “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” (Rom 1:4)
   6. Pentecost – The Son received the promise of the Spirit from the Father, whom He then poured out on His disciples.
      1. “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Act 2:33)
   7. Additional Descriptions Applied to All Three in the Trinity
      1. Who gives us words to speak?
         1. The Father “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Mat 10:19-20)
         2. Holy Spirit “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” (Mar 13:11)

• Son “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luk 21:14-15)

1. Who gave the New Covenant?
   1. Father “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer 31:33-34)
   2. Holy Spirit “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb 10:15-17)

• Son “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Heb 12:24)

1. Who comforts us?
   1. Father – “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2Co 1:3-4)
   2. Holy Spirit – “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.” (Act 9:31)

• Son – “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” (2Co 1:5)

1. Who gives us peace?
   1. Father – “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1Co 14:33)
   2. Holy Spirit – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” (Gal 5:22)

• Son – “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Joh 14:27)

1. Who sends out Christians?
   1. Father – “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Mat 9:38)
   2. Holy Spirit – “So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” (Act 13:4)

• Son - “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Joh 20:21)

• Distinctions within the Godhead
  1. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1Jn 2:1-2)
     1. The Greek word underlying “advocate” here is “parakletos”. It means “one who appears in another’s behalf; mediator, intercessor, helper.” (BDAG) It describes how Christ is our “go-between” with the Father. How can this be possible if Jesus is EXACTLY the same person as the Father? Christ cannot be our advocate with the Father if they are exactly the same person. They are different persons within the same God.
  2. “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Heb 7:22-8:2)
     1. Jesus is described as our High Priest: the man who stands before God on our behalf and brings a sacrifice for the people. If Jesus IS the Father, then how can he be our High Priest?
  3. We may want to take a minute to consider John 10:30.
     1. “I and my Father are one.”
     2. “ego kai oJ pathr eJn esmen”
  4. The Greek language used by John when he quotes from Jesus is very specific. If it was meant to say that Jesus and the Father are numerically “one” then the Greek word used would’ve been in the nominative masculine “eJiV”; but instead of using “eJiV” he used the nominative neuter “eJn”. This shows the intention is that “unity” is meant and not absolute identity.
  5. The distinctions within the Godhead can be seen clearer when we look at passages that show the subject-object relationship between them.
     1. Jesus praying TO the Father.
        1. “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luk 22:42)
     2. The Father TESTIFIES of Jesus.
        1. “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.” (Joh 5:31-32)

• Jesus refers to the Father as “another” (5:32). The Greek word is very specific. It means “another of the same kind”. If John—or Christ—were to mean “another one of another kind” then they would’ve used a different Greek word.

1. Jesus counts Himself and the Father as two witnesses. (5:32)
2. The Father testifies of the Son.
   1. “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mat 3:17)
3. The Son testifies of the Father.
   1. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (Joh 5:19)

• The Son testifies of the Spirit.
  1. “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.” (Joh 14:26)
• The Spirit testified of the Son.
  1. “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:” (Joh 15:26)
• Other scriptures to consider.
  1. “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.” (Isa 63:9-10)
  2. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zec 12:10)
  3. “And God [elohim] said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his [singular] own image, in the image of God created he [singular] him; male and female created he [singular] them.” (Gen 1:26-27)
  4. “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 he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17)
  5. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” (1Cor 12:4-6)
  6. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” (2Cor 13:14)
  7. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph 4:4-6)
  8. “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (1Pe 1:2)
  9. “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:4-6)

Here's our new episode:

About the Holy Spirit

In this episode Brother Jonathan talks about the Holy Spirit, his attributes, some parts of His ministry, gifts, and fruits.

 

Remnant Bible Fellowship

S3EP5

About the Holy Spirit

 

“The doctrine of the Holy Spirit, judged by the place it occupies in the Scriptures, stands in the foremost rank of redemption truths. With the exception of 2 and 3 John, every book in the New Testament contains a reference to the Spirit’s work; every Gospel begins with a promise of His outpouring.

Yet it is admittedly the ‘neglected doctrine.’ Formalism and fear of fanaticism have produced a reaction against emphasis on the Spirit’s work in personal experience.

Naturally this has resulted in spiritual deadness, for there can be no vital Christianity apart from the Spirit. Only He can make actual what Christ’s work has made possible.” – Myer Pearlman

 

1. Attributes
   1. Many people either think or teach that the Holy Spirit is nothing more than a mystical impersonal “force” that is just present in the universe. This is contrary to the Bible though. These are some of the attributes of the Holy Spirit described in the Bible. The Holy Spirit:
   2. Helps (John 14:16, 26; Romans 8:26)
   3. Glorifies (John 16:13-14)
   4. Can be known (John 14:17)
   5. Gives abilities (Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
   6. Referred to as “He” (John 15:26; 16:7, 8, 13)
   7. Loves (Romans 15:30)
   8. Guides (John 16:13)
   9. Comforts (John 14:26; Acts 9:31)
   10. Teaches (Luke 12:12; John 14:26)
   11. Reminds (John 14:26)
   12. Bears Witness (John 15:26; Acts 5:32; Romans 8:16)
   13. Hears (John 16:13)
   14. Leads (Mathew 4:1; Acts 8:29; Romans 8:14)
   15. Pleads (Romans 8:26-27)
   16. Longs [yearns] (James 4:5)
   17. Wills (1 Corinthians 12:11)
   18. Thinks (Acts 15:28)
   19. Sends (Mark 1:12; Acts 10:20; 13:4)
   20. Speaks (John 16:13; 10:19)
   21. Forbids (Acts 16:6-7)
   22. Appoints (Acts 20:28)
   23. Reveals (Luke 2:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10)
   24. Calls to ministry (Acts 13:2)
   25. Can be grieved (Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30)
   26. Can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29)
   27. Can be lied to (Acts 5:3-4)
   28. Can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32)
   29. Strives (Genesis 6:3)
   30. Is knowledgeable (Isaiah 40:13; Acts 10:19; 1Corinthians 2:10-13)
   31. Judges (John 16:8)
   32. Prophesies (Acts 21:11; 28:25; 1Timothy 4:1)
   33. Has fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14)
   34. Gives grace (Hebrews 10:29)
   35. Offers life (2 Corinthians 3:6; Revelation 22:17)
   36. Is the Creator (Job 33:4)
2. He has the attributes of God
   1. Eternal
      1. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14)
   2. Omnipresent
      1. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” (Psa 139:7-10)
   3. Omnipotent
      1. “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.” (Luke 1:35)
   4. Omniscient
      1. “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1Cor. 2:10-11)

• He is listed as equal with the Father and the Son
  1. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” (1Cor. 12:4-6)
  2. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen…” (2Cor. 13:14)
  3. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Mat 28:19)

1. The Names of the Spirit
   1. The Spirit of God
      1. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1Cor. 3:16)
      2. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom 8:14)
   2. The Spirit of Christ
      1. “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.” (Rom 8:9)
         1. Notice in this verse that the phrase “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ” are used interchangeably.
      2. “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (1Pe 1:10-11)
   3. The Comforter
      1. “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.” (John 14:26)
   4. The Holy Spirit
      1. “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?” (Luk 11:13)
   5. The Holy Spirit of Promise
      1. “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,” (Eph 1:13)
   6. The Spirit of Truth
      1. “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.” (Joh 16:13)
   7. The Spirit of Grace
      1. “He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb 10:28-29)
   8. The Spirit of Life
      1. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:2)
   9. The Spirit of Adoption
      1. “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.” (Rom 8:15)
   10. The Spirit in Christ’s Ministry
       1. His Birth
          1. “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 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.” (Luk 1:34-35)
       2. His Baptism
          1. “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 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: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mat 3:13-17)
       3. His Ministry
          1. “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” (Luk 4:14-15)
       4. His Crucifixion
          1. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14)
       5. His Resurrection
          1. “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” (Rom 1:4)
          2. “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.” (Rom 8:11)
       6. His Ascension
          1. “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.” (Joh 1:33)
          2. “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Act 2:33)
       7. The Holy Spirit in Human Experience
          1. Conviction
             1. “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.” (Joh 16:7-11)
                1. The word “reprove” is the Greek word "elegcho", which means “to bring a person to the point of recognizing wrongdoing; convict, convince.” (BDAG)
             2. Regeneration
                1. The word “regeneration” comes from the Greek word "paliggenesia". It means “experience of a complete change of life; rebirth of a redeemed person.”
                2. “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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (Joh 3:5-6)

• “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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;” (Tit 3:4-5)

1. Indwelling
   1. “If ye love me, keep my commandments. 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 he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18)
   2. “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.” (Act 1:8)

• There are three prepositions that describe the relationship of the Holy Spirit to believers: para (with), en (in), epi (upon).

1. “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.” (1Co 6:19-20)

1. Sanctification
   1. The word “sanctification” comes from the Greek word "hagiasmos". It means “personal dedication to the interests of the deity; holiness, consecration, sanctification.” It means pretty much the same thing as to be “holy”.
   2. “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.” (Rom 15:16)

• “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Th 2:13-14)

1. Enduement with Power
   1. The word “endue” comes from the Greek word "enduo". It means “to put any kind of thing on oneself; clothe oneself in, put on, wear.” So when we are “endued with power” by the Holy Spirit we are “clothed upon with/clothed in” the power of the Holy Spirit.
   2. “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

• “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.” (Act 1:8)

1. Gifts
   1. We are not going to concern ourselves right now with the divisive discussion of whether or not ALL gifts of the Spirit are still in activity today (Cessationism or Continuationism). The fact is that many people, regardless of where they stand on the issue, agree with what the Bible says about what these gifts are as described in scripture. Personally, and I will say so unapologetically, I do not hold to Cessationism. I did for a number of years, and it wasn’t an experience or anything like that that convinced me that they are still in activity today. It was the fact that there is not a single verse in the entire bible that can objectively be interpreted to mean that these gifts have yet ceased. That is not the historical view of Christianity, and it’s not defendable exegetically. I’ve never once spoke in tongues, I’ve never had a vision, or anything like that. It was simply studying the Word of God that corrected me. I will say though that I believe true manifestations of the Spirit of God are not as common as some Pentecostals try to make it seem. Much of what is going on today is not from the Spirit of God because it doesn’t agree with the scriptures.
   2. The term “charismatic” comes from the Greek word "charisma", which means “that which is freely and graciously given; favor, bestowed, gift.” It is found in Romans 12:
      1. “Having then gifts [charismata]differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 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.” (Rom 12:6-8)

• These gifts are mentioned elsewhere in more detail—along with some regulations about how they are to be used/exercised—in 1Corinthians 12:
  1. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1Co 12:1-11)

1. Scripturally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with desiring spiritual gifts as a Christian. Paul himself said plainly to the Corinthian believers:
   1. “But covet [desire] earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” (1Co 12:31)
2. The thing that we have to keep in mind is that these gifts from the Holy Spirit are given for a specific purpose:
   1. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” (1Co 12:7)
3. The reason for these manifestations of the Spirit of God is so that the entire body of believers will be edified [built up] and encouraged in the Lord. They are never for personal gain—except for edification—or an individual believers self-glorying. This is in fact what Paul had to rebuke in the Corinthians (1 Cor. 14:26). They were focusing on the gifts rather than the God who used them to manifest Himself in their midst.

• Here are some gifts of the Holy Spirit that are specifically mentioned:
  1. The word of wisdom
  2. The word of knowledge
  3. Faith—this is different than saving faith. This is a special kind of faith that comes directly from the Holy Spirit for a specific reason.
  4. Gifts of healing
  5. The working of miracles
  6. Prophecy
  7. Discerning of spirits—this is by far the most falsely claimed gift in professing Christianity today. Many times when a minister or believer wants to openly critique or insult another ministry they will not do so on the basis of the Word of God, but they will claim to have the “gift of discernment”. In doing so, they are trying to make themselves the authority and not the Word of God.
  8. Tongues—again, this is a commonly counterfeited gift. Much of what goes on today is not by the Spirit of God because it is not operating as the Word of God tells us it will.
  9. Interpretation of tongues
• Some people try to say that if you don’t exercise the gift of tongues that you do not have the Holy Spirit, and are therefore not saved. This is predominant mainly in Apostolic churches and has troubled a great number of people over the years about the state of their souls. Paul the Apostle, who wrote 1 Corinthians and Romans, did not teach this idea.
  1. “Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?” (1Co 12:29-30)
  2. The Greek language that Paul used is very specific. When asking a rhetorical question in Greek, and the answer is implied, it is stated at the beginning of the sentence although it is not translated usually. Here, Paul begins his sentence with It means “not”. This means that Paul specifically stated that not all Christians exercise all gifts. There is no specific spiritual gift that is universal in the body of Christ—unless you count salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit Himself, etc.

1. Before leaving this aspect of the ministry of the Holy Spirit let’s consider some important things about how they are supposed to be regulated in the fellowship.
   1. All things are to be done in the proper proportion. The Corinthians were becoming too fascinated with the gift of tongues in particular it seems. Paul rebuked them for this. (1 Cor. 14:5-19)
   2. They were to be done for the edifying and encouraging of believers and—in specific instances—to aid in converting the lost. (1 Cor. 14:12, 23)
   3. We should have wisdom in how they are used and/or exercised. We should exercise some common sense and not have a childish fascination that can bring a reproach upon the cause of Christ and the ministering of the Gospel. (1 Cor. 14:20)
   4. One of the most important things that Paul tells us is that we are to have self-control:
      1. “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” (1Co 14:32)
      2. What this means is that the prophet’s spirit is subordinate to them: it obeys them. This means that a person cannot be “overcome” by the Spirit and forced to do something. Sometimes people try to say things like, “Well, when the Spirit starts moving me I just can’t help myself!” This is an obvious sign that it is either an unclean spirit (devil/demon), or just something that is of the flesh.
      3. This is very clear in Paul’s commands that they should only speak one at a time (1 Cor. 14:27), they can stop when they choose to (1 Cor. 14:30), and they can control the volume of their voice when they speak (1 Cor. 14:28).
      4. All of this is contrary to much of how demonic spirits operate.
   5. There should be order. There is not supposed to be confusion—like much of today’s Pentecostal churches. Now, order, does not mean that things are scheduled. It just means that people are not shouting over one another and things like that. (1 Cor. 14:32-33, 40) This, again, shows an ability to control yourself.
   6. There should also be humility and teachableness.
      1. “What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” (1Cor. 14:36-37)
      2. If someone is used of the Lord for the manifesting of a spiritual gift it does not mean that they have a peculiar authority. In fact, even prophets are to be examined. They are never to be blindly followed:
         1. “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deu 13:1-3)
         2. “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isa 8:19-20)

• “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge [discern, contend]. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.” (1Co 14:29-30)

1. From these things we clearly see that no one—including a prophet—is above being examined or corrected. Those who exalt themselves as such, based upon a position or gifting, do so contrary to the commandments of the Apostle Paul, and even of the Lord Jesus Christ:
   1. “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mat 20:25-28)
2. Christ is truly greater than all and He made Himself a servant to even His disciples. He commanded His followers to do likewise.
   1. “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:13-17)
3. No person in the body of Christ is above any other. All are equal in Christ’s body.

1. Fruits
   1. The “fruits” of the Spirit of God are those characteristics or traits that God works in the lives of believers as the Spirit of God leads them. As fruit grows on a tree they should be growing in the Christian’s life. When you think about a tree, an apple tree grows apples. An orange tree grows oranges. Christ applies this principle to the type of works that come from a Christian.
      1. “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Mat 12:33-35)
      2. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Mat 7:15-20)
      3. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (Joh 15:1-8)
   2. Also, nothing that is done by the Spirit of God will ever contradict them. If the Spirit of God is leading a person—which is the description of a Christian (Romans 8:14)—then how the Spirit leads them to do something will never contradict these fruits. The fruits of the Spirit are listed in the book of Galatians:
      1. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)

• Let’s go through these one-by-one to be more specific.
  1. Love – This is not just a normal love like the world loves. If it were then it would not have to be a fruit of the Spirit of God. It is a non-selfish love that puts others above itself. It is described at-length in 1 Corinthians 13 where it is also called the greatest of all gifts.
  2. Joy – This is the experience of gladness. For Christians, there is a joy that comes directly from the Spirit of God in them. (Acts 13:52; Romans 14:17; 15:32)
  3. Peace – This kind of peace means “a state of concord; peace, harmony.” Christians have a hope that is not based on temporary circumstances of this world or life; because of this we can have peace through even very terrible earthly circumstances. This is especially as we commit our cares and concerns to God through prayer—trusting in Him. (Php, 4:6-7)
  4. Longsuffering – This is the “state of being able to bear up under provocation; forbearance, patience towards others.”
  5. Gentleness – This is “uprightness in one’s relations with others; the quality of being helpful or beneficial; goodness, kindness, generosity.”
  6. Goodness – This is the “positive moral quality characterized especially by interest in the welfare of others.”
  7. Faith – This is not speaking of our faith in God because that is a different Greek word (pisteuo). It is speaking of “that which evokes trust and faith, the state of being someone in whom confidence can be placed; faithfulness, reliability, fidelity, commitment.”
  8. Meekness – This is “the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance; gentleness, humility, courtesy, considerateness, meekness.”
  9. Temperance – This is the “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires; self-control.”

1. These things are the mark of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is not necessarily a list were we should try to check-off things in our lives, but these things should be growing in us as we seek the Lord. It’s important to remember that these are fruits and not the root. Jesus Christ is the one by whom all spiritual blessings come in our lives. So, just like spiritual gifts, we are to seek Him and ask God to work these things in us.
2. We are to seek the giver and not the gifts. Likewise, if you want fruit to grow on a tree you focus on the soil, roots, and things like that. You don’t focus on where the fruit grows out of the branches and leave the rest of the tree to chance. No, you take care of the tree and the fruit will grow as a result. Focus on Christ, seek Him, and He will work the fruits into your life.

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