Monday, October 29, 2007

Thrice-Fold Holiness

"...[W]ithout [holiness] no man shall see the Lord..." Hebrews 12:14b


In past studies the thrice-fold life of the believer has been looked into. Writer and reader have thought upon 3-deep sin, 3-deep repentance, and 3-deep conversion. On this post, 3-deep holiness will be considered.

As already discussed, everything spiritual that happens to us is thrice-fold. Holiness is no different. In fact, not only is holiness 3-deep but it has 3 degrees. In other words, the believer's holiness must affect him in his intellect, affections, and actions. Is this true of you?
What is holiness? The answer depends on who you ask...unfortunately. This writer will define holiness thus; holiness is a God-imposed separation from the world, and it is God's demand for moral and spiritual purity. Holiness, in Scripture, is often likened to light and to cleanliness.
If the above definition is accurate... then God demands for your intellect, affections, and actions to be morally and spiritually pure. Further more, God demands that your intellect, affections, and actions be un-worldly. That is to say, "be not conformed to this [present and evil] world..."
You, my reader, may be outwardly holy, but what about inwardly? What do you enjoy thinking about? What do you love? God demands that you be holy in your whole person. "Be ye holy; for I am holy." That last verse is quoted by St. Peter, but it was first said by God Himself in Leviticus 20:7. It is interesting and convicting to read that chapter and see what God calls holy.

It was stated above that holiness is 3-deep as well as having 3 degrees. The believer is positionally holy, principally holy, and practically holy. Believers are positionally holy because God chose them "In Christ". Believers are principally holy because their judgement of right and wrong has been corrected. Believers are practically holy because their actions have changed. Can this be said of you? Do you understand your exalted position or placement "in Him"? Have your judgements changed? That is to say, "do you recognize sin for what it is"? Can you say before being converted that X was okay, but now X is plainly wrong? That is principally holy. Now practical holiness is simply living and acting out your inward holiness.
How does the above apply to you?

Without faith one cannot please God and without holiness one cannot see God.


Buried in Christ,
St. Loder

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Thrice-Fold Conversions Psalm 51:13b

"... [S]inners shall be converted unto [T]hee."


God is interested in the full conversion of sinners, and not in their partial conversion. The writer hopes to assist his readers in understanding this truth. He believes this study will clear up many difficulties, however it will not appeal to the growth-minded "soul-winners" or their number-loving pastors.
Let a question now be asked. If, through the "constant dripping" of a spouse or the constant visits of a pastor, a person begins attending church on Sunday instead of spending Sunday in their normal manner... has this person been converted? One may say "no", but this writer would disagree with that answer. The newly church-attending person has in fact been converted...bodily, but not eternally.
What if a person readily admits that "Jesus" was a good man, but not the Son of God- yet through discussion comes to acknowledge that "Jesus" is the Christ and the Son of God? Is that person converted? Yes, he has been intellectually converted, but not eternally.
What about the "hero-worshipping" types? They come to see the works, miracles, and love of Christ, and confess a deep respect for Him. Is this person converted? Yes, they have been converted in their affections for Christ, but not eternally.
The obvious (or maybe not so obvious) problem with the above conversions is that they never endure. A truly Holy Spirit converted person is converted fully and forever. They have been converted in the intellect, in the affections, and in their bodies or actions. Have you, my reader, been converted? How about "your converts"? Do you care about the veracity of their conversion, or are you more concerned with the number of your converts?
Go to the Scriptures now and read Hebrews 6:4-6 with the above in mind.
Both writer and reader have seen many people come and go. The question may be asked, "Why have they departed? What has happened to so and so? They started out so well, but now they are gone. Why?" Now you know.
The 1/3 conversion is not a true conversion; nor is the 2/3 conversion true. The only true conversion is a 3/3 conversion, or stated differently - the only true conversion is that of the whole person; and only the sovereign God, Himself, can do that. With God it is either all or nothing.
Buried in Christ,
St. Loder

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Thrice-Fold Repentance

"Repent Ye..."


Repentance is to change your mind; it is to change one's mind on the Person of Christ. One may believe that "Jesus" is a good man or a good teacher, and the next day one may, in his own power, decide that "Jesus" is God's Son. If this is your definition of repentance, you are wrong in many things, and may yet be in your sins.
Repentance is a change of mind, but the penitent has changed his mind about himself in relation to God's Son. The fruit of that changed mind is a change in his thinking, in his feelings (or affections or emotions), and his actions. Both writer and reader continues to sin, but we are broken afterwards. Though we may falter in our actions, we should never falter in our affections or thinking.
Some believe that repentance should not be preached. That is an odd and non-biblical belief. Christ preached repentance, and He commanded "that repentance and remission (and in that order) of sins be preached in [H]is [N]ame among all nations..." Luke (24:47). We find the Apostles obeying the Master's command in their preaching.
Isn't it sad that many of today's preachers will quote Matthew's closing words of Christ; "Go ye therefore..." (Matt. 28:19) as well as Mark's, "Go ye into all the world..." (Mark 16:15) but they never site Luke's closing words (already quoted above)? What are they doing when they avoid the doctrine of repentance? They are subtracting truths from God's Word (Rev. 22:19) and making God's Word their own personal perversion. (Many of these same preachers argue over different versions of the Bible when the original manuscripts themselves would become perversions in their hands.) For what other reasons would these "ministers of righteousness" (2 Cor. 11:15) avoid the doctrine of repentance? If they held to this doctrine their churches, or rather, their businessess, would begin to decline in profits/people/numbers. When a man avoids this doctrine he is either ignorant of biblical teachings or he is a wolf in sheep's clothing (Acts 20), or he may himself have been deceived. Regardless of the reason, the minister is "without excuse".
When one speaks of repentance one must understand that repentance is 3 fold. When a person repents they do so in there intellect, affections, and actions; otherwise it is not biblical repentance and it never will be biblical repentance- no matter how hard and how long these "angels of light" proclaim it to be !!!
Does repentance save? No. However, one will never be saved without it. Christ came to save [H]is people from their sin (Matt 1:21), and not while they continue to bathe and bask in it!
The preachers will insist that only "belief" should be preached. 100 years ago that would be acceptable when the steel-spined of old knew what "believe" meant. Today "believe" means only head-knowledge or intellectual ascent. The writer's definition of believe is "to love Him, to trust Him and to Obey Him." The scriptures teach us that all 3 are necessary to be eternally saved (1Cor. 16:22, Matt. 11:28, and Hebrews 5:9 respectively). Does not common sense insist upon this definition?
We have sinned against the holy One in a 3 fold manner, and therefore we must repent in a 3 fold manner. If this does not make spiritual sense to you, then I would counsel you to kneel down and do the true saints' "first work".

Except ye repent; ye shall all likewise perish.


Buried in Christ,
St. Loder

Friday, October 19, 2007

The Thrice-Fold Life

"...And he did eat"





The Christian life is a thrice-fold life. We must understand that our life in Christ is 3 deep. It was the Godhead that was/is active in the salvation of sinners. The Father chose us, the Son secured us, and the Spirit draws us. God created man in His image, and therefore, man is a trinity. Granted, since the fall all are now in the image or likeness of Adam (Gen. 5:3) but man is still spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23). Man in his adamic (unsaved) state is fallen in his nature (Eph.2:1).

In this study it is the writer's hope to demonstrate the thrice-fold sin which affects man in his whole person. First the word "spirit" must be defined. To this writer "spirit" is defined as "mind". The mind is divided between intellect and affections (feelings). The word "body", of course, means our physical being.

When the literal events of Eden are considered one will find sin affecting Adam and Eve to their very core. It is clear to the focused reader that Adam chose to eat the Eve-offered fruit. He knew that death was certain upon partaking of the forbidden fruit. Adam chose to die with Eve rather than live with the Evening-walking God. This shows us the fall of Adam's affections (feelings). Is it any surprise that the "Second Adam" would state that His disciples must love Him and hate (oppose) family (Luke 14:26)? It will also be noted that Adam made an intellectual choice to partake of the fatal fruit. Adam, when offered the fruit, must have considered the warning from God. Yet, in spite of the warning he made the decision to eat and his intellect was affected. At this point their destiny was sealed; "So [God] drove out the man." Centuries later Paul would write, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Paul would further state, "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..." (Roman 5).

It is the writer's hope that in these few words it has been made clear that sin has affected man in a thrice-fold manner. Man is a sinner to his very core. Man has been infected in his intellect, in his affections, and in his body. Man loves to dwell in sinful thought. His sinful thought is a private world- a world all to himself; a world over which Satan is god (2 Cor. 4:4). Man in his feelings or affections is sinful. He loves sin. As he carries out his lusts in his sin and pleasure-loving body, he demonstrates this hidden and thoroughly infected nature.

If the above is accurate then it must follow that repentance, conversion, and holiness must be thrice-fold as well. Lord permitting, our "thrice-fold" theme will continue in future studies.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

It is not easy. Matthew 16:24

If any man come after [M]e...


Christ, when He would invite sinners to "come unto me" He would tell them that there is rest to be found in Him. He would invite those who were heavy ladened and knew they were heavy ladened and felt the heavy burden to find rest in Him. However, let us not stop short of His invitation as many do. He does invite sinners to find rest in Him but He also invites those who come to Him to "Take my yoke upon you..." My readers, there is rest to be found and it is found under the lordship of God's Son. John states that "[Christ's] commandments are not grevous."
Some preachers tell their hearers that salvation is easy. My reader, salvation is not easy. Salvation was not easy for Him Who secured that salvation for repentant and believing sinners and it will not be easy for those secured. Shall we expect a life of ease when the Master received no such life? No.
Is the doctrinal truth of salvation easy? Yes and no. To understand that there is no salvation outside of Christ is simple (2 Cor. 11:3). Young children understand this truth. If you are saved today you can understand the simplicity of the Gospel or good news that God has sent a Saviour.
It was stated above that the doctrinal truth of salvation is easy but then again it is not. There are many aspects of the gospel, for example the Scriptures speak of the gospel of God, of the kingdom, of hope, of grace, of Jesus, of Christ, etc. Each of the above signify an important aspect of the gospel and worthy of our study and meditation.
Is the experimental side of salvation easy? No and again no. Look at the words of Christ, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me." Reader, does that sound easy? If you say, "yes" then the writer must conclude you to be ignorant of God's salvation. Our Lord states further, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate..." He tells us also that, "...he that endureth (eth = continues) to the end shall be saved."
Does this writer believe that salvation is "by works of righteousness which we have done"? God forbid! Salvation is by "grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone." However our Lord wants us to "count the cost" because He knows there is a cost. What is this cost? Denial of self, the taking up of your cross, following Him and there by enduring until the end.
Please do not confuse salvation with justification. Justification states that believers are legally forgiven and "made" righteous in Christ. Justification does not have tenses, Justification is accomplished or it is not accomplished. Salvation, in accordance with Roman 8 spands from eternity past through to eternity future. Salvation consists of election, justification, sanctification and finally glorification. Salvation is not easy. Salvation was not easy for the Master and it will not be easy for the servant. If you, my reader, are not being sanctified (progressive) your were never justified. as Jacob and Esau were twins so is justification and sanctification.
The sanctified are the justified. Paul and Habakkuk state that, "the just shall live by faith." The living of faith is not easy. The life of faith is "a fight" and therefore cannot be easy.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Psalm 4:4; "Stand in awe and sin not"

"Stand in Awe"


In our previous study we stated that the Hebrew word for awe (in this verse) means "to be angry". Before one can "sin not" one must be angry. Is this writer stating that a believer can be sinless? No. A believer cannot be sinless in this stage life. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" and further more "If we say that we have not sinned, we make [H]im a liar, and the word is not in us." (1John 8,9). Praise be to God that when the believer does sin he has an [A]dvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the [R]ighteous.
Having said that the believer cannot be sinless we must add that the believer should sin less. Though we cannot be free from sin (as a nature) in this stage of life we can overcome certain sins (individual). The believer is an overcomer through and by Christ their Lord.
The one addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, attention seeking, co-dependency, homosexuality, etc. can overcome those individual sins through the sufficient grace that is provided to the repentant believer. Are we not reminded of our Lord's mercy and love filled words to the woman caught "in the very act."? "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8-11) cp. Romans 8:1.
"[G]o, and sin no more." It is rather obvious to this writer that our Lord meant for her to discontinue her adulterous practises. She was told to overcome this individual sin of adultery. She did not overcome her sinful nature until she was called home to share eternity with the Husband to Whom she will ever be faithful.
How can we as believers overcome individual sins? The Bible has many answers to this question. Some examples can be found in Matthew 22:36-40 verse 40 being the key and also Romans ch. 6.
However, our text provides the answer we intend to consider today, "Be in awe and sin not."
In other words, Be angry at your sins (and yourself who is the lover of these sins) and you will overcome these sins (individual). I am angry at my sins because;
1.My sin/sins broke the eternal fellowship between the Trinity (why hast Thou forsaken Me?)
2.God hates sin. 3. Sin is sneaky, esp. in times of spiritual exercise. 4. Sins affect us to our core and in all of our levels...spirit (intellect and affections), in our soul and in our body. 5. Sins harm us, our families, friends, businesses, etc. 6. Sins harms our close fellowship with God. 7. Our obedience to sins/sin gives occasion to Satan and the world to say , "aha, aha." These do not exhaust the reasons for anger. There are many more reasons to be angry with sin/sins. The most prominent? Sin/sins put our Master, our Friend, our Faithful, our Saviour on a cross!

Be angry and sin not...St. Paul


Buried in Christ,
St. Loder

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The Holy Spirit is above all things...Holy. Eph.4:30

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God...

The Holy Spirit of God is many things. He is the Comforter (John 14:16, 26; 15:26) He is the Sealer (Eph 1:13, 4:30), He is the Revealer (1 Corinthians 2:12-14) but above all these titles He is ultimately and eternally holy. Holy is not a title but a nature. The Spirit of God is the holy Comforter, the holy Sealer, the holy Revealer. Everything He does is, therefore, holy. If we keep that in mind it would clarify many things. Many movements claim to be holy Spirit authored. When one tests that spirits one should ask, "Are the fruits of this movement holy?" Many believers claim their actions to be holy Spirit authored. Some would claim that their failed church growth mission was holy Spirit authored (He faileth not). Some would claim that the holy Spirit prompted them to divorce their spouse. Is divorce holy? Some would claim that their new business partnership is holy Spirit authored. Does not the holy Spirit inspired Scriptures forbid this type of partnership? Yes. Before one claims their actions to be holy Spirit authored let them ask, "Are the fruits of this action holy, do the holy Scriptures approve of my action?" This must be the final test of actions, movements and claims.
Our text states "grieve not the holy Spirit of God." The greek word for "grieve" can mean to sadden or to cause anger. To be holy means, among other things, to be angry with sin...specifically one must be angry firstly and primarily with one's own sin. David teaches us in Psalm 4:4 that we must "Stand in awe, and sin not..." The word "awe" means "to be angry". If you desire to "sin not" you must be angry with sin. You must be angry with your own sin. To be angry with other's sins will not help you. You must be angry with your own sin.
The above necessitates that the holy Spirit is angry with sin. He is not angry with His sin for He is without sin, He is the holy Spirit! His anger with sin is holy anger. His holy anger is toward the sin in the life of the believer. His holy anger is toward sin in the life of Christ's holy people. Paul states in Eph. 1 that God chose us to be holy and blameless.
May both writer and reader live like those who are angry with sin. May a fruit of the holy Spirit's indwelling of the believer be a holy anger toward sin.
Lord willing we will look at reasons to be angry with sin on our next posting.

buried in Christ,
St. Loder

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Our Little Sanctuary ...Ezekiel 11:16

....Yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary...


The Godhead, the Great 3 in 1 states that He will be to His people a little sanctuary. The immediate context of this passage of Scripture shows us the judgement, and therefore, the righteousness of God. The children of Israel have once again fallen willfully into sin- even idolatry; and the Spirit of God gives a number of visions to the Prophet Ezekiel. These visions show the wickedness of God's outward people. In ch. 8 verse 12 the people entertain evil thoughts. They say that God "seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth." However, God in ch. 11 verse 5, states, "I know the things that come into your minds, every one of them." God knows all and sees all (Prov. 15:3). The Prophet Ezekiel is granted others visions that discover the hidden wickedness of Israel (compare this with the New Testament book of John 13:20-21).
God in response to the wickedness of His nation sends them into captivity once again. We ask the question, "Will they ever learn?", but the same may and should be asked of us and by us- "Will you and this writer ever learn?"
Things are dark for these people. The inward, hidden darkness has become the outward, open darkness. Be sure, friends, your sins will find you out. Is there no hope? Yes. There is always hope with our Great God. Is not the Christ called the "Blessed Hope"? In the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances God says, "I will be to them as a little sanctuary..."
The Hebrew word for "little" means "little or few" and the Hebrew word for "sanctuary" means "place set apart". One way we might interpret this meaning is God is a place for refuge... a place set apart, hidden if you will. A hiding place that is open to a few. God in Christ is our hiding place. As we journey through this pilgrim land, and ever looking for a city made without hands, we will grow weary (John 4), we will grow fearful, and we will grow cold at times. But please remember that there is a place just for you, child of God. It is hidden to others but you... you know the way (John 14:4-6). This place is a Person and He is able to shield you, to aid you, to comfort you, to strengthen you. We are in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, we are in the enemies land, but there is Refuge...and it is open to you who love God.

Buried in Him,
St. Loder

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Purposes

It is the writer's purpose, through these studies, to glorify the great 3 in 1; the Mighty God Who may be known through his Son "even Jesus". It is this God Who is worthy of all our love, adoration and strength. It is to His eternal glory that these writings are prepared.
The writer is also interested in edifying his fellow followers. We are exhorted to "consider one another to provoke unto love and good works." It is to this end that these writings are prepared.
Another concern to the writer is the correctness of spiritual thought and knowledge owned by his readers. It is eternally important that believers have a correct and proper understanding of holy writ. It is to this end that these writings are prepared.
Another hope that the writer entertains is the opportunity to assist others in their spiritual growth. He would encourage you to forward questions of a spiritual nature to him. He seeks to help you as individuals in your development as mature believers. Does he have all the answers? No.
However, he does know where and from Whom to seek the answers (Thou knowest all things, Lord).
This writer also understands that it is difficult to bring questions to pastors at times. If this is a difficulty you face or may face in the future, the writer desires to assist you if or when your pastor cannot.
This writer does not seek to enter into debate with his readers. He has learned that an atmosphere of debate will not "win people" to anything. Paul warned his Corinthian readers that "knowledge puffeth up" and it is this puffing up that breeds debate. To "contend" does not mean to debate. Many debators are concerned with winning the debate rather than winning others to the truth. Winning debates is not a purpose of the sanctuary.
The writer prays that God will be pleased to condescend and bless this ministry and those who read it and pray for its contents.

Buried in Christ,
St. Loder