At what point will the Spirit’s work for Christians be complete? We answer, not until we are born of the Spirit. Our Head – the Lord Jesus Christ – was born of the Spirit more than 2000 years ago, and we as members of His body must and will follow Him into the same life, and by the same power of the Holy Spirit. The birth of the Head secures the birth of the body in due time. If as some claim…
It is not supposable that the Apostle John was contradicting the Apostle Paul and the other apostles – all of whom were teachers and who instructed the Church to seek out the Spirit’s choice of pastors, teachers and overseers, and to honor those who thus had the “rule over” the Church and who were to watch for the interests of souls as those who must give an account to the Lord. (Heb 13:17) It was undoubtedly in full accord with…
“You have an unction from the Holy One and you know all things.” “The anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teaches you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, you shall abide in him.” 1 John 2:20,27 These words unction and anointing awaken in intelligent Bible students’ recollections of the holy anointing oil poured upon the heads of each…
How and what specifically do we sacrifice? Scriptural Usage of the Term “Sacrifice” “The word “sacrifice” may be used from different standpoints. If an animal were killed for some benevolent reason or purpose, it might be spoken of as a sacrifice, particularly if it were something done in harmony with the Divine arrangement. But the mere killing of an animal would not be sacrifice. A dog might be killed without being sacrificed. But if the dog’s life were surrendered for…
Considering what we have thus far discussed in our previous post right about now many are probably thinking to themselves this all seems much too complicated, the Gospel of salvation is not supposed to be this complicated it’s supposed to be simple, viz. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:31). This is true for the most part, but then we are not referring to “our common salvation” (Jude 3), of the salvation which comes…
In our last post in answer to the question: What is pictured by the Cup? We had determined that the Cup was a picture of the Sin Offering experiences of Jesus and the Church, of the sufferings, trials, ignominy and self-denials he endured and what all who would be joined to the body through his baptism would have to endure. It’s as if our Lord is inviting us – beckoning to us – “Come my children – suffer with me…
In the Communion or Memorial Service two emblems are brought to our attention, the bread and the cup, here though our focus is upon the cup. (Excerpts here were taken from an article entitled, Why two emblems? by Brother George Tabac) What is pictured by the Cup? The Cup is a picture of the Sin Offering experiences of Jesus and the Church – which together will seal the New Covenant, a very similar picture as that of the blood of…
“Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of?” (Matt 20:22) “We might think of the word Cup as representing various experiences of life-that everybody has, his or her Cup of mingled joys and sorrows. But Jesus used the word in a different sense. When He was in the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”…
“Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death (Made participators with him)?” (Rom 6:3) What does it mean to be a participator in Christ death? How do we participate with him in his death? It might be helpful if we first asked about his death that is how exactly he died? Yes we all know that he was crucified on the cross, but that is not what we…
What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? As was mentioned in our previous post the baptism of the holy spirit came upon the Church at Pentecost and as such has continued with us even unto this day. To be baptized in the holy spirit is to be baptized into Jesus Christ, and to be baptized into Jesus Christ is to be baptized into his death. Even as the Apostle so states in Rom 6:3-5: “Do you…