Safe & Secure In God's Love

John 6:26-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:35-39

Is it true the love of God is the safest place for our never-dying souls? Should Christians have confidence that they will indeed be with God forever in Heaven? Is it correct to worry for one’s entire ‘Christian’ life about the lingering possibility of messing up and ending up in Hell? Which is more important the sovereignty of God or the free-will of humanity? I believe the Scriptures teach God desires for every Believer to know we presently possess eternal life as a consequence of God’s saving grace (Eph. 2:8, 9; 1Jn. 5:13). In addition every genuine Believer can be assured of eternal security because of the great preserving love of God (Rom. 8:28-39). God’s love gives His children perfect security in salvation. Please read on and I will attempt to demonstrate this from the Word.

If we are to experience real joy, confidence, and divine peace in our Christian experience, we must grasp the truth of eternal life in Christ Jesus. It is impossible to regard the Christian life as “abundant life” if we are not even certain we will be with God forever! Beloved, God did not design the salvation He offers to torment and fill us with doubts, fears, and spiritual anxiety. When we are insecure in the love and grace of God, we naturally will resort to “working to earn” or “keep” our salvation. We will serve in order to be saved or to remain saved, which is a gross violation of God’s salvation by grace rooted in His love and mercy. Yes, we do have a free will, but at no point will our powers of choice negate God’s gift of saving grace. Grace, divine favor, can never be earned, merited, or deserved! We must resist the temptations spiritual insecurity may drive us to by embracing the full truth about the brand of salvation God offers and gives. As a result we will know peace, and joy deep within because our souls rest in God’s eternal work on our behalf. As always the Scriptures taught by the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth on this matter.

Where Is Eternal Security in The Bible? (John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:35-39)

First consider the promise of the Lord Jesus with regards to His Sheep and how safe they are in the Father’s hand.

 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. (John 10:27-30 KJV).

To gain a sound working understanding of these incredible verses and this promise of eternal security consider the commentary of William MacDonald.

These next few verses teach in unmistakable terms that no true sheep of Christ will ever perish. The eternal security of the believer is a glorious fact. Those who are true sheep of Christ hear His voice. They hear it when the gospel is preached, and they respond by believing on Him. Thereafter, they hear His voice day by day and obey His Word. The Lord Jesus knows His sheep. He knows each one by name. Not even one will escape His attention. No one could be lost through an oversight or carelessness on His part. Christ’s sheep follow Him, first by exercising saving faith in Him, then by walking with Him in obedience. 

Christ gives eternal life to His sheep. This means life that will last forever. It is not life that is conditional on their behavior. It is eternal life, and that means everlasting. But eternal life is also a quality of life. It is the life of the Lord Jesus Himself. It is a life that is capable of enjoying the things of God down here, and a life that will be equally suitable to our heavenly home. Note these next words carefully. “They shall never perish.” If any sheep of Christ ever perished, then the Lord Jesus would have been guilty of failing to keep a promise, and this is not possible. Jesus Christ is God, and He cannot fail. He has promised in this verse that no sheep of His will ever spend eternity in hell.

Does this mean then that a person may be saved and then live the way he pleases? Can he be saved and then carry on in the sinful pleasures of this world? No, he no longer desires to do these things. He wants to follow the Shepherd. We do not live the Christian life in order to become a Christian or in order to retain our salvation. We live a Christian life because we are Christians. We desire to live a holy life, not out of fear of losing our salvation, but out of gratitude to the One who died for us. The doctrine of eternal security does not encourage careless living, but rather is a strong motive for holy living. 

No one is able to snatch a believer out of Christ’s hand. His hand is almighty. It created the world; and it even now sustains the world. There is no power that can snatch a sheep from His grasp.
Not only is the believer in the hand of Christ; he is in the Father’s hand as well. This is a twofold guarantee of safety. God the Father is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch a believer out of the Father’s hand. (MacDonald, W., 1995, Believer’s Bible Commentary)

The spiritual security of genuine Believers in Christ Jesus is soundly rooted in the love and grace of God according to Romans chapter 8. Note what the Apostle Paul wrote,

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:35–39 KJV)

God is saying in the clearest terms that NOTHING can break His salvation-relationship with His people. The hardnesses, poverty, dangerous situations, persecutions, and even if our physical lives are taken away, these threats are still powerless to sever us from the grand love of God. As we experience any or all of these challenges, we are assured God has not and will not abandon us. There is nothing about death, life itself, angelic creatures including Satan, and anything else that can remove us from God's love for us in Christ. We are totally secure in the love of God and such assurance does not breed careless living. Eternal security does not encourage fleshly carnal living at all. This truth should not be rejected for this reason because nowhere in the Bible does God ever sanction godless, sinful, or rebellious living. As a biblical truth, eternal security frees us to explore all the will of God with complete confidence in our God and Heavenly Father.

What Is Eternal Security? 

Eternal security is the belief that genuine Christians will always be saved.

A.     It is for Genuine Christians. 
Every true Christian has times or instances of unfaithfulness, sin, deviation, reluctance, rebellion, and barrenness.  It is during those times that we are in danger of losing assurance of salvation. This because the blessings of peace and confidence from the Spirit are forfeited, and He moves into conviction mode. Security of salvation is eternal and permanent, being based on the Lord’s sovereign power to keep those who belong to Him. It in no way rests upon our ability to continue to live sinlessly or perfectly. But assurance of salvation is temporal and can fluctuate, for it is a blessing granted to those who are obedient to the Lord.
However, as soon as a sinner receives Christ as Savior, he or she possesses full, unending salvation. To have Christ is to have a secure position before God (1 Jn. 5:10-13). Salvation is God's work on our behalf, not our efforts to earn or deserve salvation. Though the Bible does not use the term “security” to describe the believer’s relationship in Christ, it leaves no doubt that the child of God is eternally safe in Christ. Eternal security refers only to those who are born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, The Son of God. It does not refer to pretenders/hypocrites or to those who are merely dabbling in Christianity. The only people who are safe and secure in the love of God as those He has actually saved. It does not include those who merely think they are saved. It does not matter how sincere or committed an individual is; multitudes are sincerely wrong and extremely committed to wrong ideas, traditions, religious movements, and lies. 

B.     It is Dependent Upon God’s Actions.  The Bible is abundantly clear that no person who comes to God in repentance and faith will ever be separated from the Savior. On what does salvation depend?God’s Power.  First of all, we are secure because of the power of God.  “I give unto them eternal life,” Jesus says of His sheep, “and they shall never perish; neither shall any many pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28; 6:39). As if His own divine assurance were not enough, He added, “My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (10:29). True believers are safe and secure in the powerful and capable hands of Almighty God and Christ!
      Christ’s Promise and Prayer.  Second, we are secure because of the promise and prayers of Christ. In His high priestly prayer shortly before His arrest, He said to His Father, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12; 18:9). He told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:31–32). Because Jesus intercedes for us in heaven today, believers “have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1), our Great High Priest, who “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). God will always answer the prayers of the Lord Jesus positively!
      The Spirit’s Presence.  Third, we are secure because of the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is “the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchase possession, unto the praise of His glory.  [He is] “the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye [we] are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 1:13–14; 4:30). He is the other Comforter, whom Christ sent to “abide with you [us] forever” (John 14:16) after His ascension to the Father. Every genuine Believer has recieved the Spirit of God to indwell us for always. 
      God’s Preservation.  The whole Trinity secures believers, so that no one who believes in the Lord will ever be lost. God preserves His people from eternal damnation. However serious the sin we may fall into, we will never sin ourselves out of God’s kingdom. This truth does not encourage lazy Christianity. No, it inspires devotion and love for God that issues into righteous expression and service to God. Gladly and without shame Paul endured great suffering for his Lord, because, he said, “I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able to keep [guard] that which I have committed [entrusted] unto Him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). “The Lord shall deliver [rescue] me from every evil work,” he testified in closing that letter, “and will preserve me [bring me safely] unto His heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:18; 1 Pet. 1:5; Jude 1, 24). God's preservation of Paul was not unique to him; it is afforded to every genuine Christian. 

C.     It is an Issue of Much Debate. One of the standard questions for theological debate over the last two thousand years has been whether or not a Christian could lose his salvation. Some passages have been misinterpreted to suggest one can lose his salvation, and others declare clearly that one cannot. It is a delicate matter and challenging task to reconcile all these apparently contradictory passages.  As a result, Protestant Christianity has historically been divided between the two views represented by John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius.

1.       Calvinism: One group, including those called “Calvinists,” after John Calvin, a leader of the Protestant reformation in the 1500s, believe that a person who is genuinely saved cannot lose his salvation. He may “backslide” for a time into sinful behavior, but he will never be lost, since our salvation came through the grace of God in the first place. This position often is stated as “once saved, always saved,” or “once a Christian, always a Christian.” (Anders)

2.       Arminianism: Another group, including those called Arminians, after the 16th century Dutch theologian, Jacobus Arminius, believed that it is possible to lose one's salvation. Most of these contend that those who lose their salvation can regain it, although some in the past contended that they cannot.

D.     It is A Crystal Clear Biblical Teaching.

1.       The passages that support eternal security are clear in their teaching.

                                                                  i.   Such Scripture include John 10:27–30, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: 28, And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. 29, My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. 30, I and My Father are one.

                                                                 ii.   This is one of the clearest statements in the Bible that one who believes in Jesus for salvation will never be lost. Believers sin and stumble, but Jesus as the perfect Shepherd loses none of His flock (see Luke 22:31-32). Eternal life is a gift (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 10:10; Rom 6:23). If one has it, he has it eternally. They shall never perish is a strong affirmation…("they will indeed not ever perish"; cf. John 3:16, …"never perish"). The security of the sheep is found in the ability of the Shepherd to defend and preserve His flock. Such security does not depend on the ability of the frail sheep. No one can even snatch His sheep out of His hand. –Bible Knowledge Commentary

                                                               iii.   This seems to be a clear statement that once a person has been given to Christ by God, he is eternally secure with Christ.

2.       This eternal security position is bolstered by Romans 8:35–39:

                                                            i.      Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

                                                           ii.      If no one can successfully oppose us (v. 31), charge us (v. 33), or condemn us (v. 34) with regard to our personal relationship with God, then it follows that no one can separate us from Christ’s love for us [8:35]. The list in this verse covers the full range of experiences that could seem to pose a challenge to the reality of Christ’s love.…The trials and difficulties listed in v. 35 not only do not separate us from Christ’s love, they make us more than conquerors by forcing us to depend even more on God. …8:38, 39, Absolutely nothing can separate believers from God’s love. The apostle struggles for words to describe the absolute certainty of God’s love for believers. Nothing hard or dangerous, neither death nor life, can separate us. If God, the uncreated One, is for us, and no created thing can separate us, then our security in Him is absolute.—Nelson Study Bible

                                                         iii.      Instead of separating us from Christ’s love, these things only succeed in drawing us closer to Him. We are not only conquerors, but more than conquerors.  It is not simply that we triumph over these formidable forces, but that in doing so we bring glory to God, blessing to others, and good to ourselves. We make slaves out of our enemies and stepping stones out of our roadblocks.

But all of this is not through our own strength, but only through Him who loved us. Only the power of Christ can bring sweetness out of bitterness, strength out of weakness, triumph out of tragedy, and blessing out of heartbreak. –Believer's Bible Commentary

                                                         iv.      Other passages that reinforce this perspective are Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:29, 11:29; Ephesians 1:13–14; Hebrews 7:25-26, 9:12-15, 26; 10:9-10, 14-18; and 1 Peter 1:5.

E.     It is a Solid Theologically Position. In addition to these Scripture passages, there is also the logical (theological) argument that goes along with them.

1.      When a person is born again, he is spiritually reborn through a work of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:8 states that this salvation is not a work of ourselves, but is a gift of God. We are given a new spirit “which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).

2.       Our experience of righteousness and holiness are not yet perfected, however. Even genuinely reborn believers still must fight against a residue of sin remaining in us. Romans 7:19–20 says that “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Nevertheless, this sin in the true believer never can cancel the gift of life and peace with God given freely because of Jesus. Based on this truth, the apostle Paul triumphantly declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (8:1).

3.       How, then, could one lose his salvation, since that would require regeneration in reverse—degeneration into death again, slipping from a position that we did not attain ourselves anyway, but which God gave us? “For if, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10). This simply reinforces Romans 8:29, “For whom He did foreknow, He also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

God’s love gives His children assurance and security in salvation. This is the biblical position without any questions or doubt. Every Believer in Christ Jesus needs to know this so that we all can have confidence, joy, and peace in our Christian lives. The confidence, peace and spiritual joy that God designed for His people to know through faith in Him should be yours. The assurance that we are secure in God’s love is fundamental to the abundant life He wants to give us. There is absolutely NOTHING “abundant life” about worry and anxiety regarding whether or not we will go to heaven or hell.  Without any doubt if we do not believe we are secure in God’s love, we are likely to be tormented by doubts and fear, robbing us of our peace and joy in the Christian life. Beloved, this is not the plan and will of God.

The reason many Christians have historically been willing to die for their faith is the fact they were assured they would be with God in their death (Phil. 1:20-26). One of the reasons Christians have historically flung themselves into a dying world on the mission field is because they were secure in the love of God. They had no fears related to their eternal destiny. In the absence of such eternal security, we may become enslaved to a life of legalism, trying to keep our good works in sufficient supply so that we will not lose our salvation (Anders). They are always hoping to finally make it in. Some of these folks are tenaciously holding on to God so that they can finally be saved. You hear of them trying to press on because they do not want to finally be rejected by God because they messed up so badly. Some claim to believe they can lose their salvation, but they are still content to wallow in sin, discouragement, failure, defeat, and spiritual depression.  I have met people who have said, “I use to be saved.” I know folks who have said, “I wandered away from God during my youth…, but I am saved again now.” No, no, no, a thousand times no! God did not design the Christian life and experience so that its final and ultimate outcome depended on frail human beings. No, in His grace and motivated by His great love He saved us and will keep us always. We are secure in Him (Rom. 8:26-29; Phil. 1:6; Eph. 1:13, 14).

Drink this wonderful biblical truth in deeply and then live with abandon for the glory of God in the power of His Holy Spirit. Beloved, believe the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and your Heavenly Father. Examine these verses again closely and allow God's Word to persuade you of the truth. Become a student of the Holy Spirit and I promise you He will guide you into all truth. Christ Jesus is a complete Savior and He will keep you forever since you are His.

If you have not trusted Him as Savior I encourage you to do so as soon as possible. If you require further instructions about these all important matters, please consult the following articles. They will greatly assist you.

http://maxevangel.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-must-i-do-to-be-saved.html
http://maxevangel.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-philippian-jailers-salvation-ii.html
http://maxevangel.blogspot.com/2014/04/born-of-spirit-experiencing-new-birth.html

A Sacred Obligation!

I can recall back in the early 90s living in Germany and serving in the Air Force. We were young Christians discovering the blessings of God and thrilled with the salvation we have in Christ Jesus. Our church was hosting a special meeting with visiting missionaries from Romania, Bulgaria, and Germany. My wife and I volunteered to house a missionary family in our home. Since we had no children and we both were active duty Air Force, we shared a lot of the household responsibilities. Saturday was always an intense cleaning day in our little rented apartment. When it was confirmed we would host the missionary family from northern Germany, we spent two days fixing, cleaning, and arranging everything to ensure our home was perfect for our guest. After all these were special and sacrificial servants of God laboring in Germany to spread the Gospel and start churches. My wife and I planned meals, went grocery shopping, and made every arrangement possible to ensure our special guests felt welcomed and honored in our little apartment. Because we understood our home would receive such special guests we wanted to be sure everything was pleasing to them while they stayed for the conference. Beloved, the same is true regarding our heavenly “guest” who lives in our bodies. 

Ever wondered what sacred obligations rise out of the miracle that God lives in Believers? Certainly this fantastic privilege demands some kind of protocol! In light of the fact that our bodies as Christians are the hosts of a holy invasion from Heaven, Christians have a sacred and dignified calling. We want our holy Guest to feel perfectly at home in us. God requires practical recognition of this privilege by us all, and several righteous obligations surface throughout the New Testament. Recognizing the truth that God lives in each Believer stirs us to ensure that everything that could be done to honor our heavenly "Guest" is being done. Yes, there are many reasonable and practical implications to the Spirit’s indwelling of the people of God. Note what Paul states in First Corinthians 6:19–20,

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? 20, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You see, regeneration results in The Spirit indwelling us Believers—the new birth, and this demands sanctification or growth towards Christlikeness. A holy God living in us Believers utterly demands a ‘set apart’ lifestyle. This fundamental obligation is also at the heart of Romans 12:1, 2.  Because Christians are the unworthy recipients of the fantastic “mercies of God” we are to “present” our “bodies” as “living” sacrifices to the glory and pleasure of God by executing His “good, and acceptable, and perfect will.” While regeneration, forgiveness, adoption, and justification are free to us Believers, as Christian disciples we do have reasonable service obligations to our Master and Lord Jesus Christ. These obligations do not secure or maintain our salvation, but are a part of God’s design for a people who have no more obligations to sinful living. We are now wonderfully indebted to Christ and out of love and appreciation we now obey Him!

We Are God's Temples
Paul declares in the First Corinthians passage that Believer’s individual bodies are the “temple of the Holy Ghost” (1Cor. 6:19).  Perhaps this is one of the most profound and solemn truths of Scripture—every Believer has God living inside. It is not that we are gods, but that the True and Excellent God of glory lives in each of His children. God is not merely close to His beloved people, He actually inhabits/occupies our person in a rather mystical, spiritual, and supremely astounding way. Since the body of each individual Believer is the Spirit’s temple, how utterly inconsistent it is for Believers to pray for the indwelling of the Spirit! He takes up His abode in us at the moment of the new birth. Others have asked, “How could genuine Christians ever think of taking their body in which the Holy Spirit dwells and using it for vile purposes” (MacDonald & Farstad 1995. p. 1764)? It is utterly incongruent to wallow in sin and disobedience when we recognize a holy God lives within us! Dr. Wiersbe (1996, p. 589) concludes, the Heavenly Father made human bodies (1Cor. 6:12-14); the Lord Jesus “redeemed them and made them part of His body” (6:15-18); and the Spirit of God indwells Believers’ bodies, and “makes them the very temple of God” (6:19-20). Thus we are living, breathing, and walking temples of God. It is desperately incumbent upon us to be holy places, sanctuaries of righteousness, citadels of godly expression, and fortresses of grace. How can we defile God’s temple by using our bodies for immorality? There is no justification for desecrating a sacred place! So, beloved, the entire triune Godhead is involved in what we, the people of God, do with our bodies. If God’s children habitually violate God’s principles, then we can expect to suffer the consequences (Rom. 1:24–27). Beloved, it is our solemn responsibility to live for God and not for ourselves and sin.

There is another insight here that must not be overlooked; it is the fact that each church body is the temple of the Holy Spirit also. Notice the word “your” is plural, but the words “body” and “temple” are singular (1Cor. 6:19).  Clearly, each Believer’s body is a sanctuary for God (6:19). It may be that Paul is here describing not only the individual Believer, but also the local assembly in Corinth also.  Perhaps there is a double meaning suggested by this plural pronoun that applies to genuine New Testament churches today. The local church, as Christ’s body, is a spiritual temple for God the Spirit. This truth though substantiated here is taught in many other clear passages in the New Testament also (2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21). For instance, the Apostle Paul says in First Corinthians 3:16-17, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” Clearly, Paul is addressing the entire church body as a unit—collectively as a dwelling place of God. So the Spirit has the individual Believer and the individual church body as temples He occupies and empowers for service.

Each local assembly is a “body” of people united to Jesus Christ. The conduct of individual members affects the spiritual life of the entire local church. But, what a special privilege it is to be God’s spiritual dwelling place, both individually and corporately! Remember the glory of God that filled the tabernacle (see Ex. 40:34) and the temple (see 1 Kin. 8:10, 11)? But, now the glorious Spirit of the Living God personally lives within every Believer (see John 14:16, 17) and thus inhabits each New Testament church body as it assembles for worship and service.  What an honor lavishly bestowed upon Believers and churches! But, the implications of these awesome privileges introduce equally magnificent responsibilities.  Since the blessed Holy Ghost inhabits the Christian and the church body, Believers must guard the sanctity, purity, and sacredness of both.

We Belong To Our Lord
One obvious implication is the individual Christian’s body belongs to God (1Cor. 6:19-20a).  Paul establishes that Christians are not their own based on this biblical premise.  Not only is their body the holy place of the Holy Spirit, but in addition, they no longer belong to them. The word “For” explains the reason we Believers are not our own (6:20a). The Spirit occupies that which Christ Jesus has purchased. If I am driving down the highway in the car I have paid for, then it is quite logical to conclude the car belongs to me. We can demonstrate ownership by purchase and by occupancy. God has performed both entitling actions regarding every Believer; therefore, Christians are not their own, but His own (John 13:1). The Believer’s Bible Commentary (MacDonald & Farstad 1995, p. 1764) says, “It is not for believers to take their bodies and use them any way they desire. In the final analysis, they do not belong to believers; they belong to the Lord.” Plainly stated Christians are the Lord’s!  Both by creation and redemption (6:20), but it is redemption or salvation that is particularly in view here. Because God owns us He occupies us, and since He lives in us we are obligated to live holy. This would demonstrate proper respect for the price paid for us and the nature of our holy resident.

God’s ownership of us Believers dates back to Calvary. The verb “bought” (1Cor. 6:20) means to purchase or redeem in the marketplace according to Word Pictures in the New Testament (Robertson, 1997, p. 123) and refers to Golgotha, where the awesome price was paid. God did not purchase our redemption while He was still in Heaven. No, He sacrificed and came here and then died at Calvary a Sacrifice for all sin.  He paid the redemption price in this old fallen sin cursed world. But, just as people take the items they purchase at the store home with them, Christ will one day redeem our bodies and take all Believers home with Him. We usually refer to this as the Rapture; it is the full realization of our redemption as well! What an exciting anticipation we have in the Lord Jesus (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:14; 4:30; Phil. 3:20-21)!  Christ, by offering Himself for sinners as full payment for our sin, freed us Believers from the burden of paying it ourselves (1Cor. 7:23; Gal. 3:13; 2 Peter 2:1; Rev 5:9; 14:3, 4). Since Christ paid the price, He obligates us to Himself. Christ bought and paid for us Believers at a tremendous expense!  This being the case, we can no longer think of our bodies as our possessions. If we are to take them and use them in the ways we desire, then we are acting as a thief. By taking that which does not belong to us, we are behaving like owners with the full rights of our property. This is just the point; owners we are not. The property of Christ we are! He holds all the rights concerning us His property. We can no more take our bodies to do our own will, than we can take another’s home or car to use as we please! Christians belong to the Lord and are under His authority! The Life Application Commentary Series (Livingston Corporation 2000) expands further,

If you live as a tenet in a building owned by someone else, the landlord, naturally you would try not to violate the building’s rules. Likewise it follows that because your body belongs to God, you must not violate his standards for living.

Furthermore it is suggested, that each Believer make a practice of self-examination. That is an occasional body check up in prayer before the Lord. Reflecting on how we are treating our bodies, ask God to point out any thoughts or behaviors that need change or improvement.

We Have A Sacred Obligation
Then Paul connects the use of the body with the highest Christian motive—to glorify God! Each Christian should live to ensure his body glorifies God (1Cor. 6:20).  Do not miss the force of Paul’s clear statement: “Therefore, glorify God in your body!”  This is not a suggestion, but a forceful command and it must be obeyed explicitly and implicitly.  Christians need not pray about whether or not to obey; God has spoken clearly. God’s people need to meditate on the implications of this imperative to ensure we apply this principle to our lives in a comprehensive manner. Essentially, we Believers must use our bodies to glorify God, the One to whom they actually belongs. It is reasonable that God’s people should live to honor Him supremely. If I painted a brilliant portrait then that picture should bring honor to me. If I purchased an exceedingly rare car then that purchase should bring honor to me. Since God made us and then purchased us it is right that we bring credit, honor, and glory to Him who owns us. The logical implications of being a possession of God are both negative and positive.  There are practices we Christians should give ourselves to, and other behaviors we must forsake forever in obedience to this injunction.

First and negatively, every Believer should eliminate behaviors that defile the body. Fleshly practices such as fornication, alcohol drinking, illegal/harmful drugs usage, body piercing and mutilation, tattooing, and gluttony should be eliminated from our lifestyles. The deletion of degrading and tainting behaviors to the body is mandated in this passage. Though many have tried to justify or rationalize all of these practices as being appropriate and acceptable for Christians, they are still “defiling” behaviors. Sex outside of marriage is specifically highlighted as a “sin against the body” (1Cor. 3:18) and Believers must stop this. Too many of today’s so called churches only wink at this injunction while the preachers, choir members, and church members habitually engage in this type of sin. This is a grossly embarrassing admission and I have no delight in stated it. It is a painful thing to say because Christ is gravely dishonored by such carnal behavior. If all the truth is told, many of these folks are not real Believers at all, but some unfortunately are. God expects Christians to relate to others both socially and sexually within the relational parameters laid down in His Word. These forms of behavior obviously pollute the body, God’s temple. Beloved, this is criminal behavior!

Secondly and positively, we should display the Spirit of Christ who has come to dwell within us. The Holy Spirit was given for the purpose of glorifying Jesus Christ (John 16:14). A life truly submitted to the power of the Spirit of Grace will exalt, magnify, and make much of the Lord Jesus Christ as a habit. When the Spirit is influencing a person they will bring positive attention to the Lord Jesus. The kind of attention that the Heavenly Father is pleased with, though some people will resent, is our responsibility. We are to manifest His character, calling, and principles. The Spirit can also use Believers’ bodies to glorify and magnify Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:20–21). This special relationship to the Holy Spirit brings with it this particular responsibility. Servicing God through His church, getting reasonable exercise, maintaining a diet that promotes health, and wearing an attractive smile are all fitting responsibilities. In addition, dressing modestly and appropriately is also a part of obeying the Lord in this regard. Our culture really could use some models of sensible dress and appearance. Far too many Christians take their cues from Hollywood celebrities, rap stars, and rock and roll artists when it comes to their attire. Really…really...really it is pleasing to God to show less skin and cover up more. While no one is asking anyone to dress like someone from a Muslim country, we could do more to cultivate a healthy respect for the sanctity of the human body. It is good to keep some secrets regarding our physique or figure. Do not fall into the traps of promoting fleshly lust by portraying yourself as a sex symbol. Our society is sex crazed enough already; we do not need the people of Christ promoting a culture of recreational sex and promiscuity! The terrible price of the incalculably valuable blood of Christ demanded nothing less than departure from such sinful practices (1Pet 1:18, 19). 

Another rational implication is that no Christian person can say this is ‘my body.’ Why? Because we have been “bought with a price”—ransomed by Christ’s shed blood and death. The clear inference is that the Christian’s task is to honor God above all. Beloved, we must “glorify” God with our body! Certainly no one who is right with the Lord should claim some supposed ‘right’ to do what they will with their body in order to justify an abortion.  I am sorry, but no Believer can justify gross tattoos or excessive body piercing under the delusion that they are not hurting anyone by what they do with their body. The point here is clear, God owns the body and has a dignified, and holy purpose that brings glory to Him for each of us. Since He has purchased and lives in us, our persons are unarguably His! Bates (MacDonald & Farstad 1995, p. 1765) helps us with the practice of this truth in this devotion exclamation:

Head! Think of Him whose brow was thorn-girt. Hands! Toil for Him whose hands were nailed to the cross. Feet! Speed to do His behests whose feet were pierced. Body of mine! Be His temple whose body was wrung with pains unspeakable.

Paul adds one other requirement based on the truth that Believers belong to God entirely. We Christians must also glorify God in our “spirit,” (1 Cor. 6: 20) since both material and immaterial parts of Believers are God’s possessions.  Every attitude should be invested richly with His grace and rooted deeply in the fruit of the Spirit with no displays of the flesh. Yes, we are to have holy attitudes and motives because these evidence redemption and honor our Master. We may need to take precautions with those things that spoil or influence our attitudes negatively. This will certainly require policing up our entertainment and media selections. I know people who become aggravatingly aggressive because of their music selections or the movies they watch. I have witness Christians I respect get all bent out of shape over a sporting event where their team lose a big game. They were obviously depressed for days over a game of entertainment! I have heard of people reading porn magazines and/or romance novels habitually and they became utterly dissatisfied with their spouses. As a result rejection, pain and frustration followed. Smoldering sourness, bitterness, resentment, discontentment, and anger in their hearts was fanned into a flame of destructive energy. How? The stuff they read, the counsel they listened to, the friends they embraced, and media outlets they participated in stimulated sinful indulgences rooted in their emotions, attitudes, and motives. If you do not realize it yet, sin is NOT your friend! It is a deadly enemy, and God desires to limit its influence in your experience and free you from its power. Instead of wrath, anger, hatred, fear, bitterness, and resentment enslaving our spirits to sin, there must be faith, love, holiness, joy, self-control, peace, and patience. This is what God wants for us. The Lord Jesus would have the climate in our souls to be filled with love, joy, and peace. He would have us beam with hope, contentment, holy enthusiasm, and faith! God does not want us to be old grouches filled with the devil; no, instead we are to be grace filled saint of Christ thriving for His glory! We need far more exposure to the Word of God to cultivate the correct kind of spirit. Paul prescribes thinking on the correct subject matter to cultivate a holy attitude and thought life. He says,

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Phil. 4:8).

It really does matter what you put into your mind, it will influence your meditations and attitudes. The wisdom we embrace within will become the expressions we give ourselves to (James 3). Therefore, treasure up in your heart truths about the incredible character of God. Meditate in the Scriptures on His faithfulness, power, wisdom, love, mercy, grace, justice, and righteousness, and this will surely transform the climate deep within our spirits. Take a long look at God's salvation gift to us as Believers concentrating on what He has done, is doing, and will do for us. Think about regeneration, adoption, sealing by the Spirit, justification, forgiveness, redemption, and glorification as healthy points of reflection. I know from experience this will minister grace into your soul. I realize life is busy and there are many demands on your energies, but this discipline is worthwhile in multiple ways. Make the time to cultivate the right kind of climate in your soul and spirit. Put this on your schedule and keep this appointment. During certain seasons of intense struggles I have increased the amount of time I actually spend with passages that shape my mind and heart. I love using Philippians, Ephesians, and Romans in the New Testament. The Book of Psalms is a great point of meditation from the Old Testament as well. God has helped me in meaningful ways through this discipline. I recommend this knowing He will do the same for you.

Beloved, our lives are dignified by a holy obligation rooted in our redemption that results in the glory of God our Father. God lives in us; we are the hosts of a "Holy Guest." Our bodies are sacred because God lives within us. It is incumbent upon every Believer to live like God is at home within us. Actually our bodies are His home; He owns us entirely. We have only mentioned a few of the natural implications of this tremendous honor. The rest is for you to discover in your personal walk with the Lord. Stay near the Lord; cultivate holy fellowship and daily communion with Him. Allow Him to show you more of what it means for you to glorify Him in your body and spirit because they both belong to Him. Then give yourself to these insights with all your heart. As you do so, He will be honored through you!

What Is A Christian Teacher?

Teachers in the biblical cultures primary task involved the communication of a fixed body of information—doctrinal instruction—to their students, often solely by rote memory work (Acts 2:42).  The New Testament concept of teaching usually means instruction in the faith. Teaching may overlap with prophecy (Acts 13:1), because both can expound God’s Word, but teaching focuses more on the mastery of content.  Since sound instruction in the faith is essential to the spiritual growth of Christians and to the development of a church, the Bible contains numerous guidelines for the Christian teacher (Matt 4:23; Luke 4:14; Acts 13:1-3; Rom 12:6-8; Gal 6:6; 1Tim. 3:2; 4:16; 2Tim. 2:2; Tit. 1:9).

A.  A Bible Educator.

The gifted Christian teacher is divinely enabled with special ability to interpret and present God’s truth understandably.

    1.  Teaching is Instructing from the Word. (Rom. 12:7)

The primary difference between teaching and prophesying is not in content, but in the distinction between the ability to proclaim and the ability to give systematic and regular instruction in God’s Word.

2 Tim. 2:2, And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Proverbs 9:8-10, Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. [9] Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. [10] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Christian Education is far more then merely acquiring knowledge.  The Bible uses four words to outline the steps to, and the outcome of a sound education.  They are:

           A.  Instruction.  (Prov. 1:8)

Instruction is the Communication of the FACTS and INFORMATION from the teacher to the student.  An example would be telling someone what a car is.  Including information and facts about its use as transportation, mechanical structure, capabilities, speed, safety features and the engine is all a part of this form of instruction.   

           B.  Knowledge.  (Prov. 1:7a; 23:12)

Knowledge is the ASSIMILATION and RETENTION of communicated facts; the development of Skills. An example would be the ability to restate what a car is, how to operate it, how it is structured, what it’s capabilities are, and what it’s safety features consist of.

           C.  Understanding. (Prov.  2:3b; Ps. 119:130)

Understanding is the ADAPTATION and APPLICATION of acquired knowledge and skills in light of God’s Word; discretion.  This would be taking the car out for a drive and demonstrating a capacity to safely operate it within the scope of its capabilities with little or no supervision.

           D.  Wisdom.  (Prov.  2:6: 16:16)

This refers to the Life, which is in harmony with the mind of Christ (the Word of God)—the ability to THINK and DO as God would if He were here personally.  This could be illustrated in the ability to operate many different vehicles skillfully without accidents or assistance on any type of terrain and in any type of weather.

           

      1. Proverbs 4:4a, 5 refer to these same steps with the words–“taught” (instruction); “retain” (knowledge); “keep” (understanding); and “wisdom.”

                   2.  QUOTE: “Secular education seeks to make better, more effective, more successful, more intelligent people. The Christian educator aspires to nothing less than the transformation of a believer into the image of Christ.”    —Howard Hendricks

     2.  A Teacher is A Bible Explainer.

A teacher is able to explain the Word of God and apply it to the hearts of his or her hearers. –MacDonald, William

                  1.  Jesus Was a Bible Explainer.

Jesus, of course, was both the supreme Preacher and Teacher. Even after His resurrection, He continued to teach. When He joined the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. .… And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? ” (Luke 24:27, 32).

 Both “expounded”[ = explained, v. 27] and “opened” [= explaining, or “opening up,” v. 32] are synonyms of  “teacheth” and “teaching” in Romans 12:7.

Research & Discussion Time!

From Jesus, the Great Teacher, we learn many truths about teaching in general that apply to this gift as well.

•          What was the essential source of ability for Jesus’ teachings? (Luke 4:17)

•          What were His two primary objectives in teaching? (Matt. 22:34–40)

•          On at least one occasion, to what did He ascribe greatness in the kingdom of God? (Matt. 5:19, 20)

                  2.  Systematic Sound Teaching is Our Focus.

Regular, systematic teaching of the Word of God is the primary function of the pastor-teacher and the other teachers.

                           A.  As teachers, we are required “to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2) and to hold “fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” (Titus 1:9).

                              1) Not only must a Bible teacher meet moral and spiritual standards in their personal life, but he or she must also be a reliable handler of the Word—sound in the faith. We must hold tenaciously to the spiritually healthful doctrines taught by the Lord Jesus and the apostles which have been preserved for us in the NT.  Accordingly as conservators of the truth, we must understand it, hold it fast; (16) encourage others by teaching it; and (17) refute those who oppose it.

                              2) “Holding fast the faithful Word” (v. 9). The word faithful was a favorite with Paul (see 1 Tim. 1:15; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8). God’s Word is trustworthy because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Because the Word is faithful, those who teach and preach the Word should be faithful. Again, Paul used the term sound doctrine which … means “healthy doctrine” that promotes spiritual growth.

The naive church member who says, “We don’t want doctrine; just give us helpful devotional thoughts!” does not know what he is saying. Apart from the truth (and this means Bible doctrine), there can be no spiritual help or health.—W.W. Wiersbe

                           B.  Above all, Paul encouraged Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Tim. 4:16). 

Notice the order here. Timothy is first to take heed to himself and then to the doctrine. This emphasizes the importance of the personal life in any servant of Christ. If his life is wrong, he might be ever so orthodox in his doctrine, but it is of no avail. A. W. Pink has well said: “Service becomes a snare and an evil if it be allowed to crowd out worship and the cultivation of one’s own spiritual life.”

By continuing in the things Paul has been writing about, that is, reading, exhortation, and instruction, Timothy would save both himself and those who heard him. The word save here has nothing to do with the salvation of the soul. The chapter opened with a description of the false teachers who were causing havoc among the people of God. Paul is telling Timothy that by faithful adherence to a godly life and to the word of God, he will save himself from these false teachings and he will also rescue his hearers from them as well. –Believer’s Bible Commentary

                           C.  Pastors are not the only ones the Lord calls and empowers to teach. But if a pastor’s ministry is to be judged, among other things, on the soundness of his teaching—as the passages just cited indicate—then it seems reasonable to assume that, in some measure, he should have the gift of “teaching.”  Additionally, any Bible teacher must abide by the same standard of sound teaching.

B.  A Christian Trainer on a Mission.

Not only is a teacher a Bible educator, but he is also a Christian trainer fulfilling the Great Commission in multiple ways and through many types of teaching ministries.

    1.  Note the Great Commission Enjoins It.  

Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach [to instruct to make disciples and followers] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching [to teach and instruct systematically to obey] them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Here we recognize the church collectively has a general responsibility to “teach” the Word of God in Evangelism and Discipleship. The word “teach” is used in both instances. 

    2.  Note the Many Applications of the Gift. 

The gift of teaching could apply to a pastor, a teacher in seminary, Christian college, Sunday school, discipleship, youth groups, Children’s church or any other place of elementary or advanced education, in the home by Mom and Dad and wherever God’s truth is taught. The earliest church was characterized by regular teaching.  Acts 2:42, And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

    3.  Consider Teaching a Major Purpose of our Church.  

           A.  A Teaching Ministry is Not a Social Function.

Some see the church as something you join for what you can get out of it, the way you join a country club or the Rotary Club.  It is not a social service organization, with a ministry oriented primarily toward the physical, social, temporal needs of men. Certainly, the sincere Christian will get something out of a biblical church, but his primary goal is not the same as that for joining a country club.

           B.  The Church Is a Place to Face the Truth and Respond Accordingly. 

The apostle Paul described the church of the living God as the “pillar and ground [foundation] of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Unless truth undergirds the church and our role in it, it is just a country club and the truth should shake us up sometimes! (Isaiah 61:1-3)

           C.  Churches Struggle With Loyalty to Christ and Its Local Community.  

It is becoming easier and easier to fudge a little here, get a little fuzzy there, tune into the values of society to make people feel comfortable without fully confronting truth. People will then be more willing to join our churches—not to become a holy nation for the Lord, but to join our country club, if the price isn’t too high, and if the show is good enough. (2 Tim. 4:1-5; Isa. 30:9-14).

APPLICATION: If We Do Not Call People to Lives of Serious Discipleship, We Have Nothing to Justify Our Existence. We might as well shut the doors and go do something else. We are called to teach and to be a witness, and we dare not water down our message for fear of offending people. There is no virtue in needlessly offending people, and many churches have certainly done this. But neither is there any virtue in surrendering to secular values to appease students.

    4.  Note the Examples of Paul and Other Teachers.  

           A.  Paul’s Spiritual Gift Included Features of Both Preaching and Teaching.

2 Tim. 1:11, Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

           B.  Later in the Same Epistle, Paul Charged Timothy: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2).

           C.  Barnabas Had This Gift and Ministered in Antioch with Paul, where they were “teaching and preaching, the word of the Lord, with many others also,” (Acts 15:35).

           D.  Likewise Apollos Was Also a Diligent and Fervent Teacher “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. [25] This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.” (Acts 18:24–25). 

Preaching and teaching are often intermingled.  In fact it’s hard to preach the Bible without doing some teaching and it’s hard to teach the Bible without some preaching.  It helps to know that the Bible mentions them together!