Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 11 - Functional Salvation (Christ in you))

Start this lesson series here: 
Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 1)

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 11 - Functional Salvation (Christ in you))

The primary topic of Romans 1 to 5 is justification, or as I also describe it by saying, “Just as if I never sinned”. Justification is a positional salvation, meaning that we do not experience this salvation in this natural realm or at this time. We are justified, imputed with the righteousness of Christ, and fully and permanently saved by God’s decree and by the cross work of Christ from a heavenly perspective, but justification does nothing to our flesh! Though our souls are eternally saved when we believe in Christ, our flesh and our lives here on earth do not change or get affected one iota. Another way we can understand this salvation is that we are placed in Christ, as confirmed by a myriad of verses, with the following being a sample of the many,

1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

1 Cor 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God —and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 

Col 2:10 ...and you are complete in Him [Christ], who is the head of all principality and power.

Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

In contrast to positional (heavenly) salvation and being in Christ, Romans 6 to 8 deals with sanctification which is a conditional, or functional salvation. This means that after justification, our salvation continues to develop or grow and eventually starts to affect or influence our natural condition, functioning within us towards the outside and manifesting outwardly into the world. Through justification we are placed IN CHRIST, but sanctification is more appropriately understood as CHRIST IN US; His life being formed within us through the power of the written Word of God, influencing our thoughts, reasoning, speech, actions, and behaviours, to the degree that we give ourselves over in obedience to it. Here are a few confirming verses,

Types of Death in the Bible

Types of Death in the Bible

When you read verses like the following, what does Paul mean when he says we must be dead to sin, or we have become dead to the law, or when sin revived, he died? This is obviously not physical death, otherwise Paul could not write the epistles in which we read these things. What death is he talking about, and what other types of death do we learn about in the Bible?

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Rom 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 

Rom 7:9  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 

There are many types of death depicted in the Bible, not just physical death.

• there's physical death (we all know what this is!!)
• there is the eternal (the second) death which an unsaved man dies and go to the hell 
• there is spiritual death in which an unsaved man (while he lives) is alienated from the life of God
• there is positional death: a saved man’s union to the death of Christ; the moment you believe the gospel (ie: baptized into his death) 
• there is functional death: concerning something that doesn't operate or function the way it's supposed to: 

The Second Coming has already taken place. It’s time to change your theology!

The Second Coming has already taken place. It’s time to change your theology!

STATEMENT:

The Second Coming has already taken place otherwise you make Christ a liar and a deceiver because He told those same people that His return would happen in the lifetime of some of those to whom He was speaking. Matthew 16:28, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27, Matthew 24:34, Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69, Mark 13:30, Luke 21:22, Luke 21:32, John 21:22 speaking of John the beloved, 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17, 5:4, Hebrews 10:37 is not a 2,000 year wait, James 5:8 is not a 2,000 year wait.

Christ came in the same clouds He ascended in Acts chapter one just as He spiritually appeared in the Old Testament over the mercy seat in the Mosaic tabernacle and later in the two physical temples in Jerusalem. He now temples in a sanctuary in each believer in His temple not made of hands! His Second Coming was a spiritual one and not a physical one.

The price of ignorance and the glory of knowledge in the word of God.

The price of ignorance and the glory of knowledge in the word of God.

What is the biggest hindrance to spiritual growth and maturity? Unbelief? No! It's ignorance of the word of God.

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

The bible says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So, you don't have to hear the word of God to be in unbelief, you just have to not hear it. The root of unbelief is ignorance of the word. Paul said, "I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." Ignorance fosters unbelief.

DM#23: Be ye followers of me

Doctrine of the Mysteries #23

Be ye followers of me

1Co 1:11-12  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  (12)  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

There are two points to extract from verse 12. The first is a truth that babes in Christ will incline to outward attractions over spiritual truth. The second is a yearning that people would choose to follow Paul, or more accurately, Paul’s doctrine, than that of Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or the earthly ministry of Christ. Let me elaborate on both points.

DM#20: We speak wisdom among them that are perfect

 

Doctrine of the Mysteries #20

We speak wisdom among them that are perfect

1Cor 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  (7)  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

My previous post ended by saying that due to ignorance of the progressive curriculum of Paul’s epistles, many believers today remain babes and children in Christ, unable to comprehend its spiritual nature. Let me explain this statement with a simple analogy. If a student, who is new to mathematics, ignores a prescribed mathematics curriculum, and skips over the first few chapters, jumping to calculus or trigonometry, it is safe to say that they will quickly get lost in the advanced concepts. The first few chapters would have introduced them to concepts that are crucial and relevant to the later understanding of these higher disciplines and theories.

DM#18: Our spiritual position and physical condition

Doctrine of the Mysteries #18

Our spiritual position and physical condition

Read the five verses below slowly and carefully and then compare the first two verses to the last three. There is a HUGE difference in how Paul describes the believers at Corinth.

1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus, CALLED SAINTS, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

1 Cor 1:30 But of Him YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who became for us wisdom from God —and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION and redemption—

1 Cor 3:3 ...for YOU ARE STILL CARNAL. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

1 Cor 5:1 It is actually reported that THERE IS FORNICATION AMONG YOU, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father's wife!

1 Cor 5:2 And YOU ARE PUFFED UP, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

Do you notice a difference? Paul is writing to the Christians at Corinth, a city infamous for its immorality. The last three verses reveal the low spiritual condition of the Corinthians, the fact that they were still carnal Christians, full of pride and still babes in the understanding of spiritual things. BUT, Paul calls them 'saints' in the first verse! Did you get that!

Insights into the messed up 'Modern Denominational' view of Salvation (incl. the Olive Tree)

Insights into the messed up 'Modern Denominational' view of Salvation

Below is a comment on one of my posts regarding salvation by grace through Christ alone. After the comment, I reply with my answer, rightly divided.

COMMENT:

If people listen to the gospel that you preach, in which people are saved by grace alone, they would never be saved. Anybody can just narrate passages, but teachers should first learn before teaching. On a little side note before the shocker, Paul blatantly tells the Gentiles in the church that just as the Israelites have been cut out of the Olive tree, so can they, if they do not continue in His goodness. That means it is possible to NOT continue in His goodness, which he says will result in being chopped off! There are many more versus like I’LL SAY I NEVER KNEW YOU, and I’LL SPEW OUT OF MY MOUTH, and I WILL BLOT YOUR NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, and many more.

Paul's Gentile Curriculum Explained (Romans to Galatians - The Milk)

Paul's Gentile Curriculum Explained (Romans to Galatians - The Milk)

Recently, I was asked by a friend to elaborate on Paul's 9-church epistles as a spiritual curriculum for the grace believer. I ended up making a video of it; at least the Romans to Galatians part. The rest to follow in subsequent videos. This post is just to advertise the video series and provide you with some encouragement to get back into the Word.

Not many people know this, but the 9-church letters of Paul (Rom. to Thess.) can be seen as a study curriculum for the grace believer. The curriculum guides the believer through a process of growth in Christ, renewing the mind and becoming educated on spiritual things. Although one can read any of Paul's letters, it is highly recommended to study the letters in the given order as provided in the Bible.

This video explains the first part of the curriculum (Rom. to Gal.) and details the validity and importance of it.

If you enjoyed the video, please share it with others too. TX

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

As believers today, our walk is by faith, not by the physical senses

As believers today, our walk is by faith, not by the physical senses

Faith is the route by which all spiritual blessings come into our lives. God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Paul writes, “Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” We must understand that we can't see them with our physical eyes, we can't hear them with our physical ears, and we can't seek them with our natural senses.

So, how do we seek things that we can't sense with the natural man? How do we see those things and take hold of those things? It’s by the Word of God. We see them, and obtain them, through faith.

In Romans 5:5 Paul says, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” How does the Holy Ghost shed God's love abroad in our hearts? Is it a feeling? Do we just close our eyes and see if we can feel that love being shed abroad in our hearts?

What the Bible says about Prophecy and Tongues according to 1Cor.13 and 14

What the Bible says about Prophecy and Tongues according to 1Cor.13 and 14

In 1 Cor.13, Paul says the following,

1Co 13:8-10 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

With this in mind, questions can arise from reading 1 Cor.14 where Paul encourages the desire and practice of spiritual gifts. In addition to this, what exactly is tongues? Is it the ability to supernaturally speak in foreign human languages that one has not learned, or is it an unintelligible language that is practiced in many church denominations today? Let’s see what the Bible has to say about all this.

Question #1

Beware of those who mind earthly things

Beware of those who mind earthly things

Israel walked under the physical letter of the law. Their faith was connected to signs and miracles which showcased the power of God in this earthly environment. Their inheritance is the earth, the physical realm, the tangible things.

Today, however, in this dispensation of grace, we are called to walk according to a different realm. We walk according to the newness of the spirit (grace), not the oldness of the letter, (law). (Rom.7.6). Our dispensation is not connected to the natural world. Our faith is not connected to signs and miracles, or to anything tangible. Paul writes that our walk is from faith to faith (Rom.1:17), from our initial faith in the gospel to our continued faith in the knowledge of the Word, applied to our daily walk. Our inheritance is the heavens, the spiritual realm, the things that are not of this world.

Now, why do I mention all this?

The Journey: Part 11 - Let Us Settle Our Spiritual Position in Christ

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 11 - Let Us Settle Our Spiritual Position in Christ

The letter of Romans is written to existing believers who have already been saved by the gospel of grace. In this regard, Paul is now laying a strong foundation that will keep believers stablished (stable) in the faith, so that they will not be tossed to and fro by all manner of false, man-made doctrines.

In the previous posts of this series, labeled, "The Journey", we have covered key topics from Romans chapters 1-7. In summary these topics are as follows,

The Journey: Part 1 - Salvation

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 1 - Salvation

What is this journey I'm referring to? Simply put, it is the period of time BETWEEN salvation and glorification. The journey begins when you get saved, and it ends on that great day when Christ presents the church, His body, glorious, holy, and without blemish, before the Father, (Eph.5:26).

Rom.8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 5B)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 5B --- Dividing the PROGRAMS)

In our last post, Part 5A, we took a high level look at the two programs, simply discussing what they are and how they are different. I'd like to wrap up this series of lessons on "Understanding and Interpreting the Bible", by confirming the scriptural proof of the divisions n the programs of Israel and the Body of Christ.

As a reminder, the below picture illustrates that we have two main parts to God's overarching redemption plan. The realms of earth and heaven, physical and spiritual. Within each of these realms, we have a people group (or agency). Earth will be inherited to Israel, and heaven will be filled with the Body of Christ. We covered these details in depth in previous posts. To clarify the 'program' portions of the image below, I can describe it as follows. The programs are the actionable components of the two divided parts. They portray the 'modus operandi' of the two people groups. The details of the programs identify the people groups based on things like signs, law, prophecy as opposed to faith, grace and mystery. There have different gospels and different destinations. Whatever is defined in the programs provides the identity, lifestyle and actions that the people do and believe.

Let's now turn our attention to facts, by pointing to scriptures that clearly show a difference in the two programs. Just like the realms and agencies, the programs should also be kept distinct and separate, by avoiding the mixing of scriptures which would create a doctrine that is skewed, and false, and dangerous.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 3)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 3 --- Dividing the REALMS)

In previous posts of this study, we have investigated the NEED to recognize divisions in the Bible. We have also determined the PURPOSE for divisions in the Bible. It is important to remember that the purpose for dividing the Word originates in all things to do with Israel. In this post we will have a look at the first of three overarching 'Israel related' categories that need to be rightly divided in God's greater redemption plan. Within the three categories of (1) Realms, (2) Agencies, and (3) Programs, we will start by dividing the REALMS; defined by phrases like, heaven and earth, and spiritual and physical.

Genesis 1:1 famously starts with the statement, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...". In the context of this verse, we know that the heavens and the earth are the physical realms that God created. However, as we progress through this study, and in context with the verses we will target, you will notice that the words, heaven and earth, as well as starts, sand, spiritual and physical can represent different things. The context of the verse is important and will clarify whether the meaning represents the physical creation, or angels (demons) or actual celestial bodies, or even two different people groups. This will become evident as we progress. I'm simply giving you a heads up.