Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
Having been in the ministry more than forty years, I have seen first hand the things that separate the Body of Christ from God and one another. But if I were to be so bold as to speak of the underlying factor causing all of the divisions we’ve experienced, it would be unbelief. It is unbelief that has anchored itself like an eating cancer consuming the faith of many. When I think of the impact the truth has had on those who will hear it, as well as myself, it is sad to see how ignorance and unbelief has all but extinguished the flames of spiritual power and holiness in the church. I use the term ‘ignorance’ because there are many in the Body, who have not heard the truth about their salvation. All they know is that they have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Beyond that, those in the Body of Christ do not have a clue as to what comes next. Some say knowing they are saved is all they need to know. But if that were true then why are we so disjointed, depressed, emotionally distraught and fearful of the events in our world. It is because the revelation of salvation is missing in the church. It is the ‘common salvation’ Jude talked about that is no longer the message preached by ministers. The saints are oblivious to the workmanship of God in the saving of their souls.
In preparing to write this lesson the Lord spoke to me saying, “Prove through my word that the body indeed died at salvation; for they are not convinced”. This uncertainty is due to a lack of their understanding, but it is also a place for the devil to ensnare them with unbelief.” It is obvious that Paul had a tremendous revelation of Christ in the Church.
Hebrews 10:16
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;
This verse very boldly makes a distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The Law of the Old Testament would not be observed by the reading of tables of stone, but by the written law in the heart or soul. Here we must be careful to connect the dots. Paul said in his letter to Rome…For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (Romans 7:14).
Carnal means natural or fleshy; and the implication is that a natural man who is enslaved to sin, is not capable of obedience to a spiritual law. Therefore, something has to change. The declaration of God was that he would write the law in our hearts and minds. These are words that point to the soul. When the change takes place in the soul, the Word of God will be in the soul instead of tablets of stone.
Hebrews 10:17-18
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
The Saving of the Soul
At salvation the soul is taken out of the flesh and placed in the Spirit (Holy Ghost). This is the baptism into Christ Paul taught in Roman 6:3 (Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?).
This is also what it means to be seated with Christ in heavenly places. It also means that the soul is joined to the Lord; but he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:17).
For more clarity on the saving of the soul, see my book, “The Image of God.” When the soul is taken out of the flesh and placed in the Spirit, this is the baptism into his death. The taking of the soul out of the body is the same as cutting away the body of sin; this is also referred to as the circumcision of the flesh, (Col. 3:10-13). Without the soul the body dies; but the soul is preserved or saved in the Spirit of Christ. With the death of the body, the sin debt is paid. Remember the wages of sin is death. However, the soul through faith in Jesus is buried or hidden with Christ in God.
Hebrews 10:19-22
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Jesus has consecrated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, which is his flesh. Every preacher of the gospel needs to understand this new covenant God has made with man. The veil relates to the 12” curtain in the tabernacle that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Of course, it was the Holy of Holies wherein God came down over the Mercy Seat. No one could enter this sacred room except the High Priest, who had to first offer up a blood sacrifice for himself. This blood was sprinkled upon the Priest, which was a type of covering for his sins. The blood of the sacrifice also consecrated the way into the Holy of Holies. All these things were done as a shadow or type of the true sacrifice to come. Jesus has fulfilled the true meaning and manifestation of the blood covenant. He took on all the sins of the world in his flesh and died. However, he rose again. But in the resurrection, he was not alone. All who died in faith before his coming to the earth, were also resurrected. And we who are in Christ today are also resurrected with him. Just as the high priest was sprinkled with the blood of an animal sacrifice, so was our heart, soul and spirit sprinkled with the blood of Jesus; according to verse 22 above.
Our bodies were also washed by the Word of God.
Thy Word is Spirit. Therefore, the bodies of those who are baptized in Christ have been sanctified by the Spirit of God, which is the Holy Ghost. We are not capable of washing and sanctifying the body; in the Old Covenant there were ordinances and divers washings that were shadows and types of this operation of God. Today the washing of the flesh is done by the Word and/ or Spirit of God. It makes sense that the washing and sanctification of the flesh is for some purpose; and that purpose is God. For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:20).
It is the Lord who brought the body back alive from the dead that he might dwell in it. But what does that sound like to you? For someone to say that you literally died at salvation may seem bizarre or even cultish. But if you are truly a born again Son of God and open your heart to hear, then this truth will bear witness with your spirit. Many read these scriptures daily without actually considering what they are saying. For instance; Neither, yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Romans 6:13).
The scripture declares that we must be born again; but how is it possible to be born again except one dies first. God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (Acts 13:33).
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 (Romans 8:11). If you can boast of having received the Holy Ghost, then you must accept the fact that the Godhead bodily lives within you. Your body is now his body. It is the new man in whom you dwell; and as pertaining to the flesh, it is no more your soul that brought the body alive, but it is the Spirit of Christ who is now the Master of the flesh and will sin no more. 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 (Romans 8:15).
At salvation we are baptized into the death of the body of Jesus. The scripture is very clear on this. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16).
The Old Testament, our schoolmaster, pointed to the true Lamb of God who would be the embodiment of a true atonement. Jesus taught the baptism into his death on this wise.
John 6:51-57
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
The Elders along with seventy disciples of Christ strove among themselves at the teachings of the Master. It was manifest that their hearts were not in a place to hear the truth. Their unbelief did not change the facts. This dialogue in John 6:51-57 was and is spiritual. To eat of His flesh meant to put on Christ or to become the bone of his bone and the flesh of his flesh; (Ephesians 5:30). The drinking of his blood is the receiving of the Holy Ghost. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).The body was always purposed to be the Temple of God. According to 1 Corinthians 6:20, we have been bought with a price; and the body and spirit both belong to God.
A HARD SAYING
John 6:60-61
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
We must ask ourselves the same question, “Does this truth offend me? Do you find yourself struggling with the concept of Jesus literally living in your flesh? Is it hard for you to see your body as the new man, whom you put on at salvation? If these teachings cannot be refuted by scripture, then you must ask yourself, why is it so hard for me to accept it?” Could it be that you are judging the validity of the word by your past and/or present failures? Could it be that you judge the mind of Christ to be symbolic simply because you have not accepted or preferred it.
John 6:62-63
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Here again, Jesus makes it known that he is the Lord from Heaven. He takes another opportunity to make it known that the living in his flesh is what has it alive. The flesh without God dwelling in it, profits nothing. Jesus accepted the fact that He was and is the Image of God. We must do the same.
REFERENCES:
1 Corinthians 6:13
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
1 Corinthians 6:19
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?
1 Corinthians 10:17
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
2 Corinthians 4:10
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Ephesians 1:22-23
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 3:6
That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Ephesians 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Ephesians 5:30
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Philippians 1:20
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Colossians 2:17
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
