“Book of Life”
(click here to view in
Word format)
Introduction
The first thing
we need to realize is that the Book of Life
is one thing in time and something
different in eternity; it has one set of
names in one, and one set of names in the
other. The Book of Life is a divine
registry containing the names of every
member of the human race in time. In
eternity what is left are the names of all
those who have trusted Christ for eternal
life, a ‘divine directory’ of all
believers.
How does this
work? Very simple: when a person dies as an
unbeliever, his name is removed— erased,
if you will— from the Book of Life.
Therefore, in eternity only the names of
believers are found recorded in its
contents. Now, let’s get a few points on
the Book of Life: what it is; how it’s used;
and some of the confusion surrounding it.
Body
1. Outside of Revelation, the Book of Life
is mentioned in the NT only in Philippians
4:3. “Indeed, true companion, I ask you
also to help these women who have shared my
struggle in {the cause of} the Gospel,
together with Clement also and the rest of
my fellow workers whose names are in the
Book of Life.” In John’s Revelation we
find it in 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; and
21:7.
2. Revelation 13:8
seems to imply that unbeliever’s names are
not enrolled in the Book of Life. {Cf.
Revelation 13} V. 8 says, “All who dwell
on the earth will worship him, {everyone}
whose name has not been written from the
foundation of the world in the book of life
of the Lamb who has been slain.” The
NIV has, “All inhabitants of the earth
will worship the beast— all whose names have
not been written in the book of life
belonging to the Lamb that was slain
from the creation of the world.” The
truth is that either of these translations
is correct, as are the principles they
espouse, that: [1] the record of all who
would be born in time was written in
eternity past; and [2] the fact that the
“Lamb” Who would be slain for the sins
of the world was written or, as we would
say, ‘entered into the computer of
divine decrees’ in eternity past.
Just at first glance, this v.
doesn’t seem to make sense. I.e., it
doesn’t seem to correlate with what we know
about the Book of Life as a divine registry
of all mankind. Until we understand
that the phrase “has not been written”
in the original is the neg. ou plus
gegraptai, the perf. pass. ind. of
gra/fw
(grapho), which means- write, record,
engrave. The ind. mood is the mood of
reality; it represents a statement of fact.
The perf. tense pictures action completed in
eternity past, before the “foundation of
the world,” and with results which
continue through eternity future.
Therefore, in the true sense of the perf.
ind. we could say that their names “have not
been written with the result that they will
stand written forever in the Book of Life,”
they have not been “engraved permanently,
etched eternally” in the divine account. In
fact, in point number three we see what
does happen.
3. Since no further
opportunity exists to believe in Christ, at
death the unbeliever’s name is “blotted out”
of the Book of Life.
A. In Exodus 32:31
Moses interceding for the nation of Israel
say’s to the Lord,
“Alas, this people has committed a great sin
and they have made a god of gold for
themselves.
But now, if You will,
forgive their sin— and if not, please blot
me out from Your book which You have
written!,”
v. 32. This was for Moses an impossible
requisition, and yet it mirrors the great
love and desire the apostle Paul had
for the salvation of his people, as
well as his “great sorrow and unceasing
grief” at their unbelief— Romans 9:2.
Paul in Romans 9:3 said, “For I could
wish that I myself were accursed [in
essence, ‘erased from / Book of Life;’ which
means what? to be:], {separated}
from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh.”
B. In David’s cry to
God for deliverance in Psalm 69:27-28 he
say’s of his enemies, “Add iniquity to
their iniquity, and may they not come into
Your righteousness. May they be
blotted out of the Book of Life and may they
not be recorded with the righteous [‘may
their names not be permanently inscribed
alongside those of / righteous’].”
C. David, again, in
Psalm 9:5 say’s of the Most High, “You
have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed
the wicked [here, unbelievers]; You
have blotted out their name forever and
ever.”
4. Revelation 17:8
mentions the Book of Life in another
reference to unbelieving worshippers of the
Antichrist. Here it is related to the
historical power of the revived Roman Empire
in the Tribulation.
In Revelation 17:8 John
wrote, “The beast that you saw was, and
is not, and is about to come up out of the
abyss and go to destruction. And those who
dwell on the earth, whose name has not been
written in the Book of Life from the
foundation of the world, will wonder when
they see the beast, that he was and is not
and will come.” In the Book of
Revelation the term “beast,” because
of the intimate connection and
identification of the three, often speaks of
the Antichrist, the revived Roman Empire,
and Satan, who is the power behind
them both. Satan is the only one of the
three who could “come up out of the
abyss,” and yet what the angel who is
interpreting this for John is referring to
is a dominating world empire.
5. Christ uses the
Book of Life as the ‘final appeal’ for the
Last Judgment of the Great White Throne—
Revelation 20:12-15. Unbeliever’s names
have been erased from the Book of Life at
their death. And so another set of books
{plural} “of deeds,” of works that
were accomplished in human energy, is
referred to which contain every good deed
the unbeliever has ever done. {Cf. v. 15}
After the whole of all this
human good, all these works, is
weighed against the Work of Christ
Revelation 20:15 tells us, that “if
anyone’s name was not found written in the
Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of
fire.” Ei tis begins this 1st
cl. cond. and means- ‘whoever.’ With the
neg. adv. ou plus the verb
heurisko in the ind., the lit.
translation would be: “when whoever
was not found written [guess what this
is: perf. tense again, / perf.
pass. part. of grapho- ‘inscribed
eternally;’ where? in:] the Book of Life
[‘/ register of / redeemed’], he was
thrown [‘once and for all;’ aor. pass.
ind. of ballo, which means, among
many things- ‘throw, scatter, cast into’]
into [prep. eis, when used after
verbs of motion, denotes entrance
into something; in this case] the Lake of
Fire.” This is an entrance with
no exit.
6. According to
Revelation 3:5, being in the Book of Life
means: [1] You can never lose your
salvation; [2] that the mature believer has
a new royal title in eternity; and [3] that
this same hero of faith cannot lose his
rewards. {Cf. Revelation 3:5}
In this passage Christ say’s,
“He who overcomes [positionally and
eternally, through faith in Me] will thus
be clothed in white garments [ / ‘white
garments’ illustrate / +R of Christ];
and I will not
[ou me: double neg.—
‘I will never’] erase his name
[royal title] from the Book of Life, and
I will confess his name before My Father and
before His angels [a tremendous honor in
eternity, inclusion in / Royal Knighthood of
faithful warriors].” Notice that
Royal titles are going to be used which
indicates that there is, first of all, no
equality in heaven; and that, secondly,
‘heroes of faith’ are listed in the Heraldry
of Heaven forever. Jesus said to His
disciples in Luke 10:19-20, “Behold, I
have given you authority to tread on
serpents and scorpions and over all the
power of the enemy, and nothing will injure
you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this
that the spirits are subject to you, but
rejoice that your names are recorded in
heaven.”
7. In conclusion, the
Lamb’s Book of Life is the catalog of all
believers in eternity.
“Doctrine of Drinking”
(click here to view in
Word format)
Introduction
The
importance of objectivity.
In approaching
any aspect of truth from the Word of
God, subjectivity, personal experience and
prejudice must be set aside in order to
properly evaluate the biblical viewpoint and
gain the true biblical perspective. This
especially applies to the subject of
drinking.
1. Ascetic side: Those reared in a
legalistic Christian background often relate
alcohol to Hell or the devil. The mere
mention of alcoholic beverage elicits pious
indignation.
2. Lascivious side: Those who have
a drinking problem are often looking for an
excuse to pursue their “entangling sin” and
weakness.
Drinking of
alcoholic beverage has long been an issue in
the human race, as attested by numerous
references in the Bible. The point is that
the Scriptures issue neither license to
drink nor a command to abstain. The Bible
comments only on the correct and
incorrect use of alcohol, along with its
many variables.
Alcohol is both
beneficial and toxic, helpful and
destructive, a blessing and a curse. Used
in moderate amounts, alcohol is beneficial
for various medicinal purposes such as
arterial stimulation, circulation, and
physical relaxation. Alcohol can be
severely detrimental when used as a
means of escape from reality, in a frantic
search for happiness, or for licentious
purposes.
Body
1. The condemnation of drunkenness.
A. Drunkenness,
not drinking per se, is condemned as a sin.
1) Proverbs
23:19-20 says, “Listen, my son, and be
wise, and direct your heart in the way
[of Truth and wisdom]. Do not be with
heavy drinkers of wine {or} with gluttonous
eaters of meat.”
2) In Isaiah
5:11 the prophet declares, “Woe to those
who rise early in the morning that they may
pursue strong drink; who stay up late in the
evening that wine may inflame them!”
3) In 13:13 of
his letter to the Romans, Paul exhorts them
to, “behave properly as in the day, not
in carousing and drunkenness.…”
B. Drunkenness
does not prove one’s social
superiority, manliness, or ability to hold
one’s liquor.
1) Wise King Solomon told his son Rehoboam,
that “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a
brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is
not wise,” Proverbs 20:1. {Cf.
‘Definition of Strong Drink’}
2) In Isaiah’s prophecy of the Northern
Kingdom’s destruction by the Assyrians, he
said, “And these also reel with wine and
stagger from strong drink: the priest and
the prophet reel with strong drink, they are
confused by wine, they stagger from strong
drink; they reel while having visions, they
totter {when rendering} judgment. For all
the tables are full of filthy vomit, without
a {single clean} place,” Isaiah 28:7-8.
3) In 1 Corinthians 5:11 the apostle Paul
told the Corinthians that he had actually
written to them, “...not to associate
with [i.e., to separate from] any
so-called brother if he should be an immoral
person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a
reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler— not
even to eat with such a one.”
C. Drunkenness
incapacitates those in authority; it
interferes with clear thinking, distorts
judgment, and can lead to abuse of
authority.
1) Temporal authority: such as kings,
rulers and government leaders. Proverbs
31:4-5 says, “It is not for kings, O
Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to desire strong drink; lest
they drink and forget what is decreed, and
pervert the rights of all the afflicted.”
2) Spiritual authority: such as pastors;
and appointed administrators of the local
church, such as deacons.
a. 1 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 1:7 state that
one of the qualifications for an overseer—
pastor-teacher— is being “not addicted to
wine [paroinos means lit.- ‘tarrying
at wine;’ / word implies someone who is
given over to alcohol, and hence to frequent
drunkenness; ‘addicted’ is a pretty good
translation].”
b. 1 Timothy 3:8 gives the same
qualification for a deacon— servant— that he
is one not “addicted to much wine.”
Paul uses an entirely different word here:
prose/xw (prosecho)- hold or cleave to something, and once
again, give oneself up to it.
Echo means- ‘have and to hold;’ the
preposition pros gives us the end,
object or purpose for which an action is
exerted or to which it has reference. The
idea behind prosecho is one of
devotion and occupation, of thought and
effort being put forth toward the object.
What’s the
point? It’s that those in authority are not
forbidden alcohol, but they are commanded to
be temperate and sensible in its use.
D. Drunkenness
is condemned in certain Bible characters.
1) Noah {Gen.
9:21}.
2) Lot {Gen.
19:32-36}.
3) Nabal {1
Sam. 25:36-37}.
4) Ephraim: a
designation of the entire Northern Kingdom
of Israel, which had become a nation of
alcoholics. Isaiah 28:1 says, “Woe to
the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,
and to the fading flower of its glorious
beauty, which is at the head of the fertile
valley of those who are overcome with wine!”
2. The adverse effects of alcohol.
A. The
excessive use of alcohol, what we
classify as ‘drunkenness,’ leads to
impulsive, abusive, or irresponsible
behavior and oftentimes, social tragedy:
crime, suicide, divorce, traffic accidents,
economic and industrial losses, loss of
health, miserable circumstances, poverty and
even national disaster.
B. Alcohol is
a depressant rather than a stimulant.
1) As a
depressant, alcohol collaborates with the
OSN* to lower standards of resistance
to sins in all categories.
* Old Sin
Nature: the principle of sin residing in
every cell of the human body; it is the seat
of rebellion against God and antagonism
toward His will.
2) Alcohol
lowers inhibitions, dulls the reflexes,
destroys common sense and good judgment, and
spawns mental sins. The result: the drunken
driver kills; the drunken lover abuses; the
drunken commander or administrator loses
integrity; the drunken man or woman becomes
promiscuous.
3) This means
that drunkenness is not only a sin in
itself, but has dire spiritual as well as
physical consequences.
4) The Bible
gives neither encouragement nor excuse for
excessive drinking.
C. Habitual
abuse of alcohol can cause certain
diseases.
1) Cerebral
hemorrhage.
2) Delirium
tremens {DTs}, which produce mental
confusion, anxiety, terror, auditory and
visual hallucinations, and delusions.
3) Korsakoff’s
psychosis, in which alcohol so affects the
brain that the victim becomes a pathological
liar.
4) Cirrhosis
of the liver.
5) Wernicke’s
Disease— a paralysis of the eyes,
uncoordinated walk, clouding of the
consciousness, and final coma.
6)
Marchiafava-Bignani’s Disease, in which
excessive alcohol destroys brain tissues.
3. The assimilation of alcohol.
A. There are
two types of excessive drinking… and both
can kill.
1) Drinking an
inordinate amount at one time. This is what
I call the ‘kill it,’ or the ‘kick it off’
syndrome.
2) Steady
drinking over a long period of time.
B. Both the
chemistry of the blood and individual
metabolism are contributing factors in
determining what constitutes excessive
drinking.
1) On an
average, the body is capable of removing
approximately one ounce of alcohol from the
blood per hour. Thorn, Harrison’s
Principles of Internal Medicine, p. 707
2) The
deciding factor of what constitutes
drunkenness is not how much a person can
assimilate but the content of alcohol in the
blood.
3) Many people
are incapable of filtering even a small
quantity of alcohol rapidly enough from the
blood to prevent inebriation and should
avoid alcohol altogether. Therefore,
while drinking in moderation is permitted,
there are many believers who should
abstain.
C. That
percentage of alcohol in the blood which
causes a person to lose honor, integrity,
judgment, morality and reflex function
becomes intoxication.
4. The legitimate uses of alcohol.
A. Alcohol is
medicinally beneficial for a dying person.
In Proverbs 31:6 we find the admonition to,
“Give strong drink to him who is
perishing, and wine to him whose life is
bitter.”
B. It is
useful to the brain and nervous system as a
depressant, to produce mild sedation.
C. Alcohol
improves circulation, especially in older
persons; e.g., a glass of wine dilates the
blood vessels.
D. Alcoholic
beverage stimulates the appetite.
E. Alcohol is
helpful in relaxing the nervous system and
in some cases is beneficial to good health.
Maybe Timothy was an ascetic, or maybe he
had a little streak of legalism that
prevented him from drinking wine. Whatever
the case, Paul instructed young Pastor
Timothy to, “No longer drink water
{exclusively,} but use a little wine for the
sake of your stomach and your frequent
ailments,” 1 Timothy 5:23.
5. The miracle of turning water to wine
{cf. Jn. 2:1-11}.
The apostle John
recorded for us, that “on the third day
there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and
the mother of Jesus was there; and Jesus
also was invited and His disciples to the
wedding [here we see that Jesus, Mary
and / disciples were invited to a wedding].
And when the wine gave out, the mother of
Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine [a
crisis occurred when / host ran out of wine].’
And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what do I
have to do with you? My hour has not yet
come [His answer to Mary implied that
neither of them were inconvenienced by /
absence of wine; their pleasure did not
depend on alcoholic beverage].’ His
mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He
says to you, do it [ / issue was not /
social crisis, but who and what Christ is;
not on whether to drink or not to drink, but
on salvation].’ Now there were
six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish
custom of purification, containing twenty or
thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them,
‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ And they
filled them up to the brim. And He said to
them, ‘Draw {some} out now, and take it to
the headwaiter.’ And they took it {to
him.} And when the headwaiter tasted the
water which had become wine [oinos-
‘wine;’ is / general term for wine, most
definitely fermented], and did not know
where it came from (but the servants who had
drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called
the bridegroom, and said to him, ‘Every man
serves the good wine first, and when {men}
have drunk freely, {then} that which is
poorer; you have kept the good wine until
now.’ [ / miracle in vv. 6-8 was /
turning of water into truly alcoholic
beverage— wine; vv. 9-10 illustrate
that this was / customary drink of / ancient
East; to dispute this well established
historical fact is absolutely ludicrous]
This beginning of {His} signs Jesus did in
Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory,
and His disciples believed in Him [ /
miracle neither condoned nor condemned
drinking but focused attention on /
unique Person of / universe, / Redeemer
of mankind, and gave everyone present
/ opportunity to be saved].”
6. The divine laws of modus operandi
applied to drinking in the Spiritual Life {1
Cor. 8-10}.
A. The Law
of Liberty: Paul told the Galatians,
that “It was for freedom that Christ set
us free [‘free’ from what?— from a
slavery to rigid rules and regulations, from
/ legalism of / Mosaic Law]; therefore,”
he said, “keep standing firm and do not
be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
What’s the application? Every believer upon
reaching legal drinking age has the legal
right to drink moderate amounts of alcoholic
beverage. This is not a sin. The focus
here is on the believer’s Priesthood, his
own personal relationship to God the
Father.
B. The Law
of Expediency: A believer should not
drink under certain witnessing conditions
where drinking becomes an issue to the
unbeliever. The focus here is on the
believer’s Ambassadorship, as a
representative of Jesus Christ to his fellow
man— 2 Corinthians 5:18-6:3.
C. The Law
of Love: The believer should refrain
from drinking when there is danger of
leading astray a weaker believer— 1
Corinthians 8.
D. The Law
of Supreme Sacrifice: A believer is
forbidden to drink when a specific ministry
or leadership function is impaired. The
focus here is on the believer’s ministry,
his service to the Body of Christ— Romans
14.
7. Alcoholism and national disaster.
A. Drunkenness
was one of the contributing factors which
led to the administration of the 5th
COD to Israel {Isa. 28:1-9; Joel 1:4-6}.
B. The
principle of reversionism in a nation is
related to drunkenness and national disaster
in Judah {Jer. 13:12-17}.
8. Common sense and drinking. We have ten
principles of application here.
A. Alcoholic
beverage is for adults only.
Young people have not gained sufficient
wisdom to deal with alcohol or derive any
benefit whatsoever from drinking. Since
youth is vulnerable to the dangers of
alcohol, young people should basically
never use alcohol.
B. Never
drink while frustrated or unhappy.
C. Never
drink with strangers in strange places.
Young ladies who are foolish enough to date
strangers should not imbibe.
D. Drink
moderately, and then only with friends and
those who are trustworthy.
E. Never
drink alone. Moderate drinking belongs
to social life.
F. Never
drink on the job.
G. Never
drink while operating a motor vehicle,
flying an airplane, or operating any type of
machinery.
H. Do not
drink while handling firearms or in any
hunting or shooting situation.
I.
Drunkenness and dissipation are not only a
waste of time, they are forbidden in the
Bible and classified as sin.
J. Avoid
the danger of being “influenced” by
alcohol, instead of the Holy Spirit and the
Word of God– Ephesians 5:18. This
brings out two important principles.
1) The alcoholic believer has failed to
utilize the grace provision for learning
doctrine {Spiritual IQ (F/HS + Human IQ) +
Operation Z}, growing in grace, and
advancing to the objective of spiritual
maturity.
2) Since most alcoholic problems begin at
an early age, moderate drinking should not
even be considered until maturity is
reached.
“Justification”
(click here to view in
Word format)
Introduction
The introduction to this doctrine begins
with a definition, a very simple one.
Justification means, in essence,
‘vindication.’ ‘Justification’ is the
forensic act of God wherein He declares a
believer righteous because He has imputed to
them His absolute righteousness.
The NT term “justified” is from the
root verb dikaio/w (dikaioo). To ‘justify’
was a legal term meaning- secure a
favorable verdict, acquit, vindicate,
declare righteous.
1. Justification— or ‘divine vindication’—
occurs at the moment of faith in Christ.
Romans 3:26-28 explains how God passed over
all mankind’s sins prior to the Cross, for
the purpose of demonstrating “His
righteousness at the present time, that He
[God / Father] might be just
[righteous] and the Justifier of the one
who has faith in Jesus. Where then is
boasting [‘boasting in / arrogance of
human achievement,’ Paul asks]? It is
excluded. By what kind of law? [a law]
Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For
we maintain [here logizomai
means- gather up all the facts,
weigh them in the mind, and draw a
conclusion; based on / clear, doctrinal
thinking of / apostle Paul, what is that
conclusion?:] that a man is justified by
faith apart from works of the Law.”
2. Justification is
based on the principle of grace.
A. Romans 3:24 speaks of, “being
justified as a gift by His grace
through the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus.”
B. Titus 3:7 says, “that being
justified by His grace we might be
made heirs according to {the} hope
[confident assurance, / security and
stability] of eternal life.”
3. Justification
cannot occur through the Mosaic Law.
A. In Romans 3:20 Paul wrote, “by the
works of the Law no flesh will be justified
in His sight; for through the Law {comes}
the knowledge of sin;” and in v. 28,
“For we maintain that a man is justified by
faith apart from works of the Law.”
B. He had said the same thing to the
Galatian believers about nine years before
in 2:16. “Nevertheless knowing that a
man is not justified by the works of the Law
but through faith in
Christ Jesus, even we have
believed in Christ Jesus,” Paul said,
“so that we may be justified by faith in
Christ and not by the works of the Law.
Since by the works of the Law no flesh
will be justified.”
4. The mechanics of
justification. There are two steps here:
A. One, at the moment of faith in Christ,
God imputes His righteousness to the
believer.
B. Two, God declares the believer
justified because he possesses the
righteousness of God.
C. Imputation and justification occur
simultaneously at the moment of faith.
Logically, however, imputation precedes
justification.
5. The work of
justification was accomplished by Christ on
the Cross.
Paul say’s in Romans 3:24-25, “being
justified [declared righteous] as a
gift by His grace through the redemption
[ransom payment for sin] which is in
Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly
[on Calvary’s Cross] as a
propitiation [perfect sacrifice] in
His blood [spiritual death] through
faith. {This [Christ’s work on / Cross]
was} to demonstrate His [God’s]
righteousness, because in the forbearance
[‘ / long-suffering, / patience’] of
God He passed over the sins previously
committed [all mankind’s sins prior
to / Cross].”
6. Justification and
imputation resolve the problem of man’s
relative righteousness.
“Mosaic Law”
(click here to view in
Word format)
1. The entirety of the Mosaic Law is given in the Pentateuch, the
first five books of the OT. The addendum to
the Law is found in Deuteronomy 29.
2. The division of the Law. The Mosaic Law contains three sets of
rules and regulations known as Codices.
A. Moral Code: Commandments.
Composed of over one hundred and twenty
commandments including the Decalogue (Ex.
20:1-17). It defines a standard which man
could not keep, thereby proving that
man is a sinner in need of a Savior.
Certain aspects of this moral code are
related to human freedom under the Divine
Institutions and the Laws of Divine
Establishment.
Two key terms defined:
1) Laws of Divine Establishment:
Principles established by God for the
protection, orderly function, survival and
perpetuation of the human race inside the
spiritual battle of the Angelic Conflict.
2) Divine Institutions: Laws, practices, or systems set up by
God under the Laws of Divine Establishment
for the perpetuation of the human race.
a. Volition— this is free will, the very basis of freedom.
b. Marriage, which is a stabilizer of the human race. Marriage, under
the principle of monogamy— Biblically
defined as one man and one woman—
protects the marital partners from the mass
confusion and resultant problems created by
bigamy, polygamy, ‘partner swapping,’ and
sexually transmitted diseases.
c. Family— the basis for an orderly society. Family is the
institution used by God to teach children
the principle of humility, through
submission to the authority of the parents.
d. Nationalism, or patriotism. Nationalism is the basis for the
protection of rights, privacy and freedom.
B. Spiritual Code: Ordinances.
This is a complete shadow Christology and
Soteriology.
1) Hebrews 10:1 says, “For the Law, since it has {only} a shadow
of the good things to come [reference to
/ Person of Jesus Christ and His efficacious
work on / Cross] {and} not the very form
of things, can never by the same
sacrifices year by year, which they [ /
Levitical Priests and / Jews under Judaism]
offer continually, make perfect [i.e.,
save eternally] those who draw near.”
2) The Spiritual Code includes the Tabernacle, Holy Days, Levitical
Offerings, and the dress and modus operandi
of the Levitical Priesthood.
C. Social Code: Judgments. The
Social Code presents the Laws of Divine
Establishment designed to provide freedom
and privacy for the nation of Israel during
the course of the AC. The Social Code
includes the function of the Divine
Institutions, plus laws concerning diet,
sanitation, quarantine, soil conservation,
taxation, military service, and marriage,
divorce, etc. The punishments for
non-observance were also stated.
3. Recipients of the Mosaic Law:
A. Given to Israel only.
1) As God was preparing to establish the
Covenant of the Law with the people of
Israel, he called to Moses from Mt. Sinai
and said, “Thus you shall say to the
house of Jacob and tell the sons of
Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen
what I did to the Egyptians, and {how} I
bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you
to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed
obey My voice and keep My covenant
[Mosaic Law], then you shall be My own
possession among all the peoples, for all
the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a
kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
These are the words that you shall speak to
the sons of Israel,” Ex. 19:3-6.
2) In Leviticus 26:46 as the Lord’s detailed description of the Five
Cycles of Discipline comes to a close Moses
wrote, “These are the statutes and
ordinances and laws which the LORD
established between Himself and the sons
of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai.”
3) Paul wrote in Romans 9:3-4 concerning his own nation, “For I
could wish that I myself were accursed,
{separated} from Christ for the sake of my
brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
who are Israelites, to whom belongs the
adoption as sons and the glory and the
covenants [/ four unconditional
covenants: Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic,
and New] and the giving of the Law
and the {temple} service and the promises.”
B. The Law was never given to the
Gentiles.
1) Moses asked the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 4:8, “what great
nation is there that has statutes and
judgments as righteous as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?”
2) The apostle Paul said in Romans 2:14, “For when Gentiles who do
not have the Law do instinctively the
things of the Law, these not having
the Law are a law to themselves.”
4. Christ’s fulfillment of the Law. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said,
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law
or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish,
but to fulfill.”
A. He fulfilled Codex I— the Moral Code— by
living a perfect life on earth during the
Incarnation. This was His impeccability.
B. He fulfilled Codex II— Spiritual Code—
by His death, burial, resurrection,
ascension and session.
C. He fulfilled Codex III— Social Code— by
His patriotism and observance of the Laws of
Divine Establishment.
5. The Church in relation to the Law.
A. The Church is specifically not
under the Law.
1) Ch. 1 and v. 17 of the Gospel of John says, “For the Law was
given through Moses; grace and truth were
realized through Jesus Christ.”
2) Paul told the Church of Galatia in no uncertain terms, “that a
man is not justified by the works of the Law
but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we
have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may
be justified by faith in Christ, and not by
the works of the Law; since by the works of
the Law shall no flesh be
justified,” Galatians 2:16.
3) Galatians 3:22-25 says, “But the Scripture has shut up all men
under sin, that the promise [of
salvation] by faith in Jesus Christ might
be given to those who believe. But before
faith came [‘the faith;’ with /
definite article, identifies this with /
saving faith of v. 22], we [Jews]
were kept in custody [constantly
guarded] under the law, being shut up
[with a view] to the faith which was
later to be revealed [after /
resurrection of Christ]. Therefore
[‘consequently,’ in light of vv. 22-23]
the Law has become our tutor {to lead us} to
Christ [word ‘tutor’ is from
paidagwgo/j
(paidagogos), where we get / English
‘pedagogue’- child-disciplinarian and
guardian; lit. ‘boy-leader:’ this man,
usually a slave, was entrusted with / care
of / boys in a family; he was to conduct
them to and from school and to exercise
constant superintendence over their conduct
and safety], that we may be justified by
faith. But now that faith [in /
resurrected Christ] has come, we are no
longer under a tutor [Mosaic Law].”
a. Paul is contrasting the exercise of the Church Age believers’ faith
with that of Abraham and the OT Israelites
who were under the Law.
b. The character of faith has remained consistent, the difference will
be found in that the faith of Abraham and
the OT saints looked forward to the
accomplishment of salvation, whereas our
faith in the Age of Grace looks back
to an accomplished salvation at the Cross.
The former was faith in a prophetic Christ;
the latter is faith in an historic Christ.
c. Faith itself did not begin to be exercised on the occasion of the
Cross or the Resurrection. Faith has been
the appointed means of obtaining the
salvation of God since Adam’s time on
down. It is the object that provides
us with a different type of faith. The
ritual has now become a reality, the
shadow of the Mosaic Law has found its
fulfillment in the Person and work of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
d. These OT believers were saved by the spiritual death of Christ just
as surely and eternally as believers since
the Cross. When faith in the reality came,
that is, faith in the Christ of history
rather than in the Christ of prophecy, the
Law was abrogated, terminated,
abolished.
4) {Cf. Romans 7:2-6} Here Paul writes, “For the married woman
[living under / Mosaic Law] is bound by
law [analogous to / Mosaic Law] to
her husband while he is living [i.e.,
she is not free to divorce him]; but if
her husband dies, she is released from the
law concerning the [now deceased]
husband [she’s freed from its
obligations]. So then if, while her
[first] husband is living, she is joined
[married] to another man, she shall
be called an adulteress [because she is
married to another man while her first
husband is still alive]; but if her
[first] husband dies, she is free from
the law [that portion of / Mosaic Law
which states that she must remain married to
her husband until he dies], so that she
is not an adulteress, though she is joined
[married] to another man [after
her first husband dies]. Therefore
[consecutive particle
w(/ste
(hoste), which is used to show / effect or
result of something: for this reason],
my brethren [CA believers functioning
under grace, not law], you also were made
to die to the [Mosaic] Law through
[ / agency of] the Body of Christ
[at / moment of salvation], that you
might be joined to another [spiritually],
to Him who was raised [resurrected]
from the dead [Jesus Christ; how?
through / baptism by / Holy Spirit], that
[hina- ‘in order that’] we
might bear [spiritual] fruit for God
[ / Father, / Author of / plan]. For
while we were in the flesh [operating
under / dominant influence of / SN], the
sinful passions, which were {aroused} by the
Law, were at work in the members of our
[physical] body to bear fruit for death
[fruit that was compatible with our
condition of spiritual death]. But now
[that we are saved] we [CA
believers] have been released from the
[Mosaic] Law, having died
[through / baptism by / HS— Rom. 6:3-4]
to that by which we [as unbelievers]
were bound [Mosaic Law], so that we
serve in newness of the [Holy] Spirit
[walking by / Spirit as / means
of executing God’s Protocol Plan during /
CA] and not in oldness of the letter
[‘letter’ of / Mosaic Law; word ‘oldness’
comes from / root
palaio/j (palaios), which means- in existence for a long time,
often with / connotation of being
antiquated, outworn or
obsolete].”
This passage teaches a truth by analogy.
The truth is that the Christian is not
obligated to be obedient to the Mosaic Law,
in whole or in part.
Analogy: As a wife is free to
marry a second husband after her first
husband dies, any member of the human
race is free to marry Jesus Christ as a
second husband because the Mosaic Law, as
the first husband, died the moment
Christ died on the Cross.
It is entirely unreasonable to propose that
a woman should try to be obligated to two
husbands at the same time; yet this is the
divine illustration of the error
which occurs when the teachings of law and
the teachings of grace are commingled
together. From this we can derive two
principles and a conclusion.
a. The teachings of grace are characterized by the fact that they
are to be accomplished by the enabling power
of the Spirit.
b. The Christian is not to live and serve in “the oldness of the
letter,” which is the Mosaic Law!
Conclusion: This passage
positively indicates that the contrasting
principles of law and grace cannot
coexist as rules of conduct, for not only
are they mutually exclusive of one another,
they are diametrically opposed.
5) Paul speaking to the spiritual man say’s in Galatians 5:18, “But
if [1st cl. cond.: true
statement] you are led by the Spirit
[and you are], you are not under the
Law.”
6) In Ephesians 2:15 Paul writes, “by abolishing in His
flesh the enmity, {which is} the Law of
commandments {contained} in ordinances
[Mosaic Law], that in Himself He
[Jesus Christ] might make the two
[Jew and Gentile] into one new
man, {thus} establishing peace.”
Final Conclusion: The Law is not— I repeat, is
not— the Christian way of life.
B. Christ is the end of the Law for
believers. Romans 10:4 says, “For Christ
is the end of the Law for righteousness to
everyone who believes.”
C. Believers in the CA are under the
higher law of spirituality. {Cf. Romans 8}
The apostle Paul addresses this very issue
in Romans 8:1-4 where he say’s, “There is
therefore [based on / cumulative truth
of chs. 1-7] now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus [this
is all CA believers; ‘in Christ Jesus’ is a
technical term for positional truth, our
union with Christ]. For the law of the
Spirit of life [which is] in Christ
Jesus [not a written law but a
regulative principle: HS operating as
enabler and Empowerer in / sphere of /
believer’s new position in Christ; cf. Phil.
2:13] has set you free from the law of
sin and of death [prior bondage to / sin
nature- Rom. 6:6-7, 11-13]. For what the
[Mosaic] Law could not do
[provide righteousness; positional or
experiential], weak as it was through the
flesh [Paul’s not implying that / Law
was weak in itself; but that it was
powerless because / flesh to which it was
addressed and on which it depended
for response was too weak to comply with its
commands], God {did:}
sending His own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh [true humanity, yet
sinless] and {as an offering} for sin, He
condemned sin in the flesh [what he’s
saying is that / sin nature acquired by Adam
and passed down genetically to all his
progeny was judged completely on / Cross:
Rom. 6:6], [why?:] in
order that the requirement
[standard, ordinance] of the Law
[experiential righteousness] might be
fulfilled [through / power of /
indwelling HS] in us [members of /
Royal Family …not by us], who do
not walk according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit [i.e., under /
dominant influence of / Spirit of God].”
There are three important points to
recognize from this passage:
1) God accomplished what the Law could not through the perfect
sacrifice of His Son on the Cross.
2) He is now free to impute His absolute righteousness to any member
of the human race at the very moment
they believe.
3) Because of Christ’s judgment against the sin nature on the Cross,
God the HS is free to produce in us
the type of experiential righteousness that
is compatible with both our imputed
righteousness and our royal position
“in Christ Jesus.”
6. The limitations of the Mosaic Law:
A. It cannot justify.
1) This we can see in Romans 3:20 which say’s, “because by the
works of the [Mosaic] Law no flesh
[member of / human race] will be
justified [declared legally righteous]
in His [God’s] sight; for through the
Law {comes} the knowledge of sin.”
Likewise, in vv. 27-28 Paul writes,
“Where then is boasting? It is excluded.
By what kind of law? [a law] Of
works? No, but by a law of faith. For we
maintain that a man is justified
[declared righteous] by faith apart
from works of the Law.”
2) In Philippians 3:9 Paul’s confident assurance is that he will
“be found in” Christ, “not having a
righteousness of” his “own [-R =
self righteousness] derived from {the}
Law, but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from
God on the basis of faith [imputed
righteousness].”
B. It cannot give eternal life. In
Galatians 3:21 Paul asks the question,
“Is the Law then contrary to the promises of
God? May it never be! For if [2nd
class condition: not true] a law
had been given which was able to impart life
[eternal life; ‘and it has not’],
then righteousness [imputed
righteousness of God which is given at
salvation] would indeed have been based
on law.”
C. It cannot provide the HS. Again Paul
addresses these fickle and inconsistent
Galatians saying, “This is the only thing
I want to find out from you: did you receive
the Spirit by the works of the Law
[rhetorical question, / answer is no],
or by hearing [a)koh/
(akoe) can refer to either / act of hearing
or / message that is heard; here is /
Gospel of / Lord Jesus Christ] with [of;
defines what kind of message] faith [
/ acceptance by faith of Paul’s
message of grace for salvation]?,”
Galatians 3:2.
D. It cannot solve the problem of the sin
nature. Cf. ‘Operation K.R.Y.’— Rom. 6.
7. The historical purpose of the Law.
A. Codex I: to convince by divine
standard that the unbeliever is a sinner and
needs a Savior.
B. Codex II: to communicate God’s
grace in both salvation, and
confession and forgiveness of post-salvation
sins.
C. Codex III: to provide Israel’s
national function and freedom under the Laws
of Divine Establishment. To preserve the
nation of Israel under the principle of
Divine Institution Number Four {nationalism
or patriotism}.
Conclusion: Keeping the Law
was not the way of salvation but the
way of human freedom and prosperity for
Israel under the establishment principles.
8. The designation of the Mosaic Law as the “Book of the Covenant.”
This can be seen in Exodus 24:7-8, “Then
he took the Book of the Covenant and read
{it} in the hearing of the people; and they
said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will
do, and we will be obedient!’ So Moses took
the blood and sprinkled {it} on the people
and said, ‘Behold the blood of the Covenant
which the LORD has made with you in
accordance with all these words.’”
A. This Book of the Covenant emphasizes
grace and is the subject of Jeremiah 11.
But is not to be confused with the New
Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-33 which say’s,
“‘Behold, days are coming [in /
future],’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will
make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah [in /
Millennium], not like the covenant which
I made with their fathers in the day I took
them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke
[Mosaic Law], although I was a
husband to them,’ declares the LORD. ‘But
this is the covenant which I will make with
the house of Israel after those days [a
reference to / Tribulation],’ declares
the LORD, ‘I will put My law within them and
on their heart I will write it; and I will
be their God and they shall be My people.’”
B. National disintegration results when
the Covenant is broken. The prophecy of
breaking the Covenant is found in:
1) Deuteronomy 31:16 and 20 where the Lord said to Moses, “Behold,
you are about to lie down with your fathers;
and this people will arise and play the
harlot with the strange gods of the land
into the midst of which they are going, and
will forsake Me and break My Covenant which
I have made with them. ...For when I bring
them into the land flowing with milk and
honey which I swore to their fathers, and
they have eaten and are satisfied and become
prosperous, then they will turn to other
gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break
My covenant.”
2) In Jeremiah 22:8-9 where Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord to the
King of Judah and all the people of the
Southern Kingdom saying, “many nations
will pass by this city; and they will say to
one another, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to
this great city?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because
they forsook the covenant of the LORD their
God and bowed down to other gods and served
them.’
“Positional Truth”
(click here to view in
Word format)
Introduction
At the moment of faith in Christ, the HS
places the believer in union with Christ.
This is the baptism by the HS.
A. The baptism by the HS:
1) Identifies the Church Age believer with the strategic victory of
Christ in the Angelic Conflict.
2) Did not occur in the Old Testament or in any prior
dispensation, and is unique to the CA in
which we live. It, in fact, separates and
distinguishes us from every other
dispensation in human history.
3) While regeneration makes the believer a member of the Family of
God, the baptism by the Spirit makes him a
member of the Royal Family of God by
bringing him into union with the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords.
B. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul say’s,
“For by one Spirit [HS] we [CA
believers] were all [none excluded]
baptized into [identified with
forever, at / moment of salvation]
one body [Body of Christ], whether
Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and
we [CA believers] were all [none
excluded] made to drink of one Spirit
[a reference to / eternal indwelling of /
HS, another factor unique to /
Dispensation of Grace].”
C. Historical usage of the word
“baptized” prior to the Koine
Greek.
1) The English word “baptized” is not a translation but a
transliteration of the Greek verb
bapti/zw
(baptizo), the essential meaning of which
is- identify, that is,
identification with a purpose. This
word was used by Greek poets, dramatists,
and historians to connote the identification
of one object with a second so that the
nature or character of the first object is
changed.
2) Baptizo was used in the Classical Greek of a blacksmith who
immerses a piece of hot iron in water,
tempering it. Also, of Greek soldiers
placing the points of their swords, and
barbarians the points of their spears, in a
vat of blood. E.g., Xenophon in the 4th
cent. BC tells of Spartan soldiers dipping
their spears into pig’s blood before going
into battle. By identifying the spears with
blood, the nature of the spear was
transformed from a hunting tool to an
instrument of warfare.
3) Euripides, one of the three greatest composers of Greek tragedy,
used baptizo in the 5th
cent. BC to describe a sinking ship. As it
sank, the character or nature of the ship
was thoroughly altered, i.e., it was so
identified with the water of the Aegean
that it could no longer float, and before
long was entirely submerged.
4) The usage of baptizo in the preceding examples resolves
itself into this technical definition:
“The introduction of a person or thing into
a new environment, or into union with
something else, so as to permanently
alter its relationship to its former
environment.”
D. The verbal phrase “were all
baptized,” from 1 Corinthians 12:13, is
the 1st pl., aor. pass. ind. of
bapti/zw
(baptizo).
1) The ind. mood declares the verbal action of the sentence to be a
reality.
2) The pass. voice indicates that believers in the CA are baptized
into Christ— never to be taken out
again— by the HS. The HS is the agent
of this specific baptism; the CA believer is
the recipient; and Jesus Christ is
the medium into which the believer is
eternally identified.
3) The aor. tense denotes action which occurs at a point in time— the
point of faith in Christ. It is oftentimes
used to express a ‘once and for all’ idea;
and that’s precisely the manner in which
it’s used in our passage. The ‘constative
aorist’ contemplates the action of the verb
in its entirety, gathering it into a single
whole.
Summary: This particular use
of the constative aor. in 1 Corinthians
12:13 cannot be repeated and
excludes emotional or ecstatic
experience of any kind.
Conclusion: The concept of a
‘second blessing’ or ‘second work of grace,’
as it relates the Spirit’s baptism to a time
subsequent to salvation, is foreign
to the Word of God!
Body
1. Union with Christ belongs to every believer forevermore, regardless
of their spiritual status.
Listen to Paul’s words to the Corinthians in
1:2 of this same epistle, “to the church
of God which is at Corinth, to those who
have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [positionally,
by / HS’s baptism (12:13)], saints by
calling, with all who in every place call
upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
their {Lord} and ours;” and in v. 30 he
say’s, “But by His doing you are in
[that is, ‘in union with’] Christ
Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification and
redemption.”
2. The believer’s union with Christ exempts him from divine judgment
in eternity. In Romans 8:1 Paul states
unequivocally, that “There is therefore
now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus.”
3. The believer’s position in Christ qualifies him to live with God
forever. The believer shares the following
with Christ:
A. Eternal life. 1 John 5:11-12 tells us,
that “the witness is this, that God has
given us eternal life and this life is in
His Son.
He who has the Son has the life; he who
does not have the Son of God does not have
the Life [of God].”
B. Imputation of God’s absolute
righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says,
“He [God / Father] made Him who knew
no sin [Jesus Christ] {to be} sin on
our behalf [huper + / genitive of
substitution from / pers. pron. ego
means lit., ‘as a Substitute for us’],
that we might become [through
imputation] the righteousness of God in
Him [Jesus Christ].”
C. Election. In Ephesians 1:4 the Word of
God declares, that God the Father “chose
us in Him [Jesus Christ] before the
foundation of the world [this is our
election to privilege in / plan of Grace]….”
D. Destiny. Ephesians 1:5 says, “In
love He predestined us to adoption as
sons through Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the kind intention of His
will.”
E. Sonship.
1) Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ John said, “But as many as
received Him, to them He gave the right
to become children of God, {even} to those
who believe in His name,” John 1:12.
2) Galatians 3:26: “For you are all [Jew and Gentile, slave and
free, male and female] sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.”
F. Heirship. The apostle Paul told the
believers in Rome, that “The Spirit
Himself bears witness with our spirit
[‘human spirit’] that we are children of
God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of
God and fellow heirs [co-heirs]
with Christ, if [‘since’] indeed we
suffer with {Him} in order that we may also
be glorified with {Him.}”
G. Sanctification— 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30.
H. Kingdom. 2 Peter 1:11 says, “for in
this way the entrance into the eternal
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
will be abundantly supplied to you.”
I. Priesthood. In 1 Peter 2:5 Peter
speaks of believers as “living stones,
...being built up as a spiritual house for a
holy priesthood;” and in v. 9 as “a
royal priesthood, ...a people for {God’s}
own possession, that” we “may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has
called” us “out of darkness into His
marvelous light.”
4. When a person is placed in union with Christ he becomes a new
spiritual species.
A. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul wrote, that
“if [1st cl. cond.: true
statement— since or when]
any man is in Christ [positional truth],
{he is} a new [kainos- of a new
kind, a new form, unprecedented; it
speaks of something impressive, better than
/ old and superior to it] creature [ktisis,
lit.- creation, something created out
of nothing; i.e., a new spiritual species, /
Royal Family of God];
the old things passed away; behold, new
things have come [51 grace gifts of
salvation; all / divine assets and
equipment needed to become a hero of faith].”
B. Again, in Ephesians 2:10 he say’s,
“For we [CA believers] are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works [notice he doesn’t say
‘created by good works,’ but ‘for
good works’], which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.”
5. Union with Christ guarantees the eternal security of the believer.
Paul wrote to the Church in Rome, saying
“I am convinced that neither death,
nor life, nor angels [elect angels:
those who did not follow Satan in / angelic
revolt, those who remained on / winning
team], nor principalities [a)rxh/
(arche), a word used in Eph. 6:12 for /
‘rulers,’ / highest ranking demons in
Satan’s table of organization], nor
things present, nor things to come, nor
powers [is used here in a temporal
manner, for / power and influence of / rich
and wealthy; and for / power and might of
military forces], nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing [Paul
sums up his argument with a phrase, ‘nor any
other created thing,’ which encompasses /
entire universe], shall be able to
separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 8:38-39.
6. The characteristics of our position in Christ are:
A. Known only through the Word of God.
B. Obtained at the moment of salvation.
C. Eternal in nature, and cannot be
changed by God, angels, or mankind.
D. Not an emotional or ecstatic
experience.
E. Not related to human good, merit, or
ability.
F. Not progressive, and cannot be improved
in time or eternity.
7. Our position in Christ removes the problem of our position in
Adam. 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, “For as
in Adam [ / realm of spiritual death]
all die, so also in Christ [ / realm of
spiritual life and eternal
life] all will be made alive.”
“Prayer”
(click here to view in
Word format)
Introduction
“Prayer is that aspect of the Christian life
which begins and ends the spiritual
conflict. It is the artillery barrage lain
down before the advancing infantry. It is
the air strike called in during the heat of
battle to inflict maximum damage upon
the enemy. No soldier can ‘stand firm,
holding his ground against the enemy’ in the
midst of the Angelic Conflict without it!
Prayer culminates in the ‘peace which
surpasses all comprehension,’ after
the battle has been fought and the dust is
settled.” — Rev. Ric Webb
Two Introductory Principles.
1. Prayer is the source of power in
conflict.
2. Conflict gives us the evidence
of prayer’s profound importance and fierce
necessity.
Body
1. The Scriptural approach to
prayer.
A. All prayer is to be addressed to God the
Father.
1) Jesus said in John 15:16, “that whatever you ask of the Father
in My name, He may give to you.”
2) Again in John 16:23-24 He said to the disciples, “Truly, truly,
I say to you, if you shall ask the Father
for anything, He will give it to you in My
name. Until now you have asked for nothing
in My name; ask, and you will receive, that
your joy may be made full.”
3) In Ephesians 3:14 the apostle Paul wrote, “For this reason I bow
my knees before the Father;” and in
Ephesians 5:20 he says, “always giving
thanks for all things in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.”
B. In the name of the Son— Jn. 15:16; Jn.
16:23-24; Eph. 5:20; cf. Jn. 14:12-14 {read
larger context beginning in v. 8}.
There are three prominent issues which must
be dealt with in order clarify our
understanding of vv. 13-14 {cf. pts. 1-3}.
The introductory point to recognize is
context— our Lord’s statements
concerning prayer in vv. 13-14 cannot be
separated from His declaration of the
believer’s “works” in v. 12.
1) The new basis of prayer. The Dispensational character of prayer is
paramount to our understanding its full
extent. In John 13-17 (Upper Room
Discourse), Christ is speaking to His
disciples in anticipation of the new
basis of prayer which will be in effect
during the Church Age.
Under grace, the foundation is that of the
believer’s position and privilege “in
Christ Jesus.” Our Lord introduces an
entirely new ground and manner, or
method, of prayer in the upper room. It is
to be offered “in His name,” i.e., because
of our royal status in union with
Him, we are to pray
