Questions for the Church of Christ-Faith Facts
The Church of Christ operated under that name for centuries: the so-called Catholic church was called The Church of Christ. It was not until after Constantine gave pay to priests including taking over pagan priests, their temple and their banked Gold that the Dogma was adopted because "it was common to all pagan cults." As centralized power grew as Civil power the leaders made "a school of Christ" into a Civil-Military-Clergy institute patterned after the Jewish Monarchy. This monarchy, in turn, was abandoned to worship the starry host (Acts 7 etal). Christ in the prophets identifies the Priests and Levites as robbers and parasites: the Levites gained military power when they executed 3,000 of their brethren for engaging in musical idolatry of the Egyptian triad.
Those who find themselves fired from churches of Christ find another way to fleece the lambs by being ANTI-Christ. The Catholic Institution therefore has gained a few comrades such as Answering the Church of Christ Which recommends the Faith Facts ministry because it, too, is ANTI-church of Christ.
If these are riding on the backs of widows and honest wage earners, they have no ROLE and no DOLE. That's why most of the new ANTIs were probably fired for "not teaching that which has been taught."
Faith Facts posts: BIBLE QUESTIONS FOR THE CHURCH OF CHRIST We will look at some of the common "proof texts out of context" which is the hobby of certain Answering the Church of Christ preachers who never had a Role and never a Dole.
If you are a Church of Christ member, would you be willing to explain your views on these various matters?1 Peter 3:15)? Frankly, there are some things we find hard to understand and perhaps you can enlighten us.
Faith Facts ministry specializes in theology, Christian evidences, world religions, and cults. We are interested in the beliefs of different Christian groups in order to understand them better. We would like to get the opinion of Church of Christ folks on these matters in order to clarify your views, and if your views stand up to the Bible, to help put other Christians on the correct (narrow) way. Since you are so well versed in the Bible, would you be willing to give us answers for the hope that lies within you.
Below is a list of questions that would help many understand your views on the Bible better. If your views have not been correctly given, please set the record straight. These questions and comments are rather tough and dig very deeply into the Bible and Church of Christ theology. You may have some difficulty with these questions.
Part 1:
The Church of Christ pseudo-scholars fall on their face when strong delusions let them believe that what comes into their own imagination is a SPIRIT PERSON guiding them beyond the sacred pages.
Faith Facts: The Holy Spirit
1. Hughes in his book says that many young people within the church of Christ think their traditional view of the Holy Spirit is "Lashing the Spirit of God to an objective book of paper and ink—or, indeed, circumscribing the Spirit with any kind of rational constraints—ultimately impoverished the soul and drained life of its meaning." Does this charge concern you?
See the History of The Gift of the Holy Spirit
See the SPIRIT as the MIND or HEART or the WORD of Christ
Because all of the Bible defines the Spirit OF Christ as the MIND of Christ, is seems reasonable to most Bible Scholars to insist that the Mind of Chirst is available only through the prophets by the Mind of Christ and the prophecies made more certain by Jesus of Nazareth. 2 Peter 1
Peter said that what they eye- and ear-witnessed was not subject to private interpretation of further expounding: that would prove that you were a false teacher and a corrupter of the Word. That would give the godly people a way of escape from anyone who claims that they have a "spirit person" inside of their bodies which supercedes the Mind of Christ.
2Pet. 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
- Prosekhō (Cypr. poekhō (q.v.)) and prosiskhō : aor. proseskhon:—
- b. metaph., devote oneself to the service of any one, esp. a god, Pi.P.6.51 (dub.).
- let him take heed, as a warning,
- “p. tēn dianoian hōs praxei megistē” Plu.Num.14;
- “p. tē dianoia eis to rhēma Kuriou” LXXEx. 9.21.
- to be on one's guard against, Ev.Luc.12.1;
- prosekh' hois phrazō attend to what I shall tell you,
- Mnesim.4.21 (anap.), ; tois khiliarkhois take orders from them, Plb. 6.37.7;
- p. nomon theou” LXX Is.1.11, cf. Ex.34.11:
- also p. apo tōn hagiōn, tōn grammateōn, ib.Le.22.2, Ev.Luc.20.46;
- “p. tou mē phagein haima” LXX De.12.23; p. hina mē mastigōthēs ib.2 Ch.25.16.
- b. metaph., devote oneself to the service of any one, esp. a god, Pi.P.6.51 (dub.).
People who claim otherwise believe that their own narrative made of snippits of the Bible are equally inspired.
Consistently with the definition of "spirit," the clear statements by Jesus Christ and classical trinitarians churches of Christ students do not believe that the spirit OF John Doe is another person (people). The "personal' Holy Spirit is Jesus of Nazareth in His post-resurrected and post--glorified state. He said that His words were spirit. That is not another person but the Mind of Christ. Disciples understand that the Mind of Christ is revealed in the Bible: you cannot be a Bible-based disciple and feel the need to go beyond "that which is written for our learning."
Jesus said that "doctors of the law take away the key to knowledge." He named thes Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. In the Ezekiel 33 model Christ in Spirit named preachers, singers and instrument players. THE primary meaning of a hypocrite is a rhetorician. That especially applies when the preacher goes beyond "that which is written for our learning."
The Church of Christ has the same view of the spirit OF Christ as all of the Bible and historic Church Fathers. Anyone who went through preopsitional phrases 101a understands that the spirit OF a person is the person's own spirit or mind or mental disposition. When the foolish people thought that Jesus was speaking of eating His flesh and Drinking His blood he was just fooling the foolish where the Khana-Baal or the Priests of Baal in all paganism were cannibals:
Christ the Spirit put the same message into Isaiah to draw a parallelism between God's Word and God''s Spirit--again God's Spirit is God's Mind and not another god person inside of Him:
It is the SPIRIT that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:
the WORDS that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD;
My spirit that is upon thee,
and my words which I have put in thy mouth,
shall not depart out of thy mouth,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD,
from henceforth and for ever.
Having read all of the Bible and especially 1 Corinthians 2 those weaned on the Bible in Churches of Christ understand that Paul -- as he often does--draws a parallel:
The Holy Spirit OF GodFaith Facts: 2. Have you arbitrarily put the Holy Spirit in a box by ignoring the work the work that He does: Holy Spirit?
Is to God
What our spirit
Is to us.
Then "but WE have the mind of Christ."
Man in Image of God Explains His Creator
- Whose Spirit is the mind of Christ
For who among men In the same way For who has knows the thoughts no one knows the thoughts the mind of the Lord of a man of God that he may instruct him?" except the man's Spirit within him?
- except the Spirit of God. (Or the mind of God) 1 Corinthians 2:11
But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:15 The Spirit of Christ is the mind of Christ is the Holy Spirit is the mind of God. Paul wrote Romans chapter eight within theNo, we let the Spirit OUT of the Box: Jesus told the Apostles that HIS presence meant the presence of the Holy Spirit WITH them. When He returned on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit or the Mind of Christ dwelled IN them: In in this sense does not mean "inside of."
If you read John in chapter 14 Christ will will tell you that the Name of the "another Comforter" will be Jesus Christ.
Faith Facts like all religionists looks up a list of verses and dares you to deny THEIR conclusion:
3. Does the Holy Spirit indwell a person (John 14:17; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 3:16-19; 2 Timothy 1:14; 1 John 4:13-17)?Everyone is supposed to wring their hands and say, Wow! We MUST be a cult. However, a Disciple of Christ would never ever do that: that would constitute lying to God and about God because the CONTEXT which the Spirit OF Christ thought important REPUDIATES the false attacks. Furthermore, many of the point directly to baptism as the ONLY place and time where we are said to receive A personal holy spirit or A good conscience which gives us the power to read BLACK text on BROWN paper in context.
Faith Facts 3. Does the Holy Spirit indwell a person (John 14:17;
There is no person (people) named The Holy Spirit to dwell anyplace but the Person to whom it belongs. The Spirit OF CHRIST is "holy" which is not a first name. The "Wholly" Spirit Who guided Jesus of Nazareth into all truth was the same Spirit OF Christ in the prophets.
- Father-Son lives IN or abides WITH those who keep the commandments of God through Jesus.
- Those who keep God's commandments lives IN or abides with the Father-Son.
- This future "inness" does not mean that you have a God person INSIDE of your body.
- This mutual abiding does not include a separated Spirit in John 14 because Jesus says I will come and be your "different in some respects" comforter.
The Spirit OF Christ is the MIND of Christ: We are to let the MIND OF CHRIST dwell in us. John Calvin says that only fanatics believe they have an immediate access through the "spirit."
1. The temper and error of the Libertines, who take to themselves the name of spiritual, briefly described. Their refutation.(a). The Apostles and all true Christians have embraced the written Word. This confirmed by a passage in Isaiah; also by the example and words of Paul.(2) Refutation continued.
(b). The Spirit of Christ seals the doctrine of the written Word on the minds of the godly.a) The impositions of Satan cannot be detected without the aid of the written Word. First Objection. The Answer to it.1.The fanatics wrongly appeal to the Holy Spirit
Those who, rejecting Scripture, imagine that they have some peculiar way of penetrating to God, are to be deemed not so much under the influence of error as madness. For certain giddy men have lately appeared, who, while they make a great display of the superiority of the Spirit,reject all reading of the Scriptures themselves, and deride the simplicity of those who only delight in what they call the dead and deadly letter.But I wish they would tell me what spirit it is whose inspiration raises them to such a sublime height that they dare despise the doctrine of Scripture as mean and childish.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Disciples of Christ will want to read the whole New Testament and see that the term "the Holy Spirit" almost disappears as the epistle writers leave a "memory" of their PART of their eye-- and ear--witness of the risen Jesus of Nazareth.
The change in all of the salutations is a formulation which agrees with all church fathers:
There is One God the Father in Heaven
There is One Son Jesus of Nazareth whom God made to be both Lord and Christ.
John said that if you do not believe that Heaven-to-Earth connection you are an ANTI-christ.
Jesus was resurrected, changed and ascended back to the Father of all spirits.
He received the Promise of the Holy Spirit or changed form: A spiritual body.
He returned at Pentecost and "poured out that which ye see and hear."
John says nothing about a person named The Holy Spirit: the Spirit OF Truth is the post-glorification state of Jesusof Nazareth: This Spirit OF truth had beem teaching the apostles in the form of a body of flesh: The same Jesus of Nazareth as Spirit appeared and spoke to Paul to give him the right to speak and record the Words of Jesus. Note the condition:
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; [The Holy Spirit is not mentioned]
whom the WORLD cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
JESUS REFUSED TO PRAY FOR THE WORLD WHICH BELONGS TO SATAN.
kosmos , metaph., of ornaments of speech, such as epithets, Id.9.9 (pl.), Arist.Rh.1408a14, Po.1457b2, 1458a33; hadumelē k. keladein to sing sweet songs of praise, Pi.O.11 (10).13 (s.v.l.).
I shall loudly sing a sweet song, an adornment for your garland of golden olive,
Pind. O. 11 My tongue wants to foster such themes; [10] but it is by the gift of a god that a man flourishes with a skillful mind, as with anything else. For the present rest assured, Hagesidamus son of Archestratus: for the sake of your boxing victory,
[15] while I honor the race of the Western Locrians.
There, Muses, join in the victory-song; I shall pledge my word to you that we will find there a race that does not repel the stranger, or is inexperienced in fine deeds, but one that is wise and warlike too.
The RULER of those of the World is:
Kosmo-krator epith. of ouranos, Orph.H.4.3; “Zeus Mitras Hēlios k. Dam.Pr.131; hoi k. tou skotous toutou the cosmic rulers of this sinful world, Ep.Eph.6.12; “hoi k. hoi ta hupo selēnēn stoikheia dioikountes”
WHAT IS THE COMFORTER?: 3875. parakletos, par-ak´-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler: advocate, comforter.
Jesus said I will come to you but no one can even read verse 18: The same John identified the "different in some respect" Comforter:
1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous:
WHAT IS THE ADVOCATE? 3875. parakletos, par-ak´-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler: advocate, comforter.
1John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins:
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him,
if we keep his commandments.
Neo-Trinitarians have twisted the bible and church fathers to mark themselsves as anti-Christs.
1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God,
and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus
The mutual indwelliing in John is Father-Son (only) in those who keep God's commandments: at the same time those who keep God's commandments abides IN Father-So. There is no mention of The Holy Spirit as a separated "person" because the Son will be in His "allos" or different, Spirit Form.
Rom 8:1 THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them
........ which are in Christ Jesus,
........ who walk not after the flesh, [human]
........ but after the spirit. [human]
The way to get IN Christ is unique: there is no other way:
Galatians 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:27 For [what I mean is] as many of you
as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[27] quicumque enim in Christo baptizati estis Christum induistis
Enim why because, for, for instance, namely, that is to say, I mean, in fact I. To corroborate a preceding assertion, yes indeed, yes truly, of a truth, to be sure, certainly, indeed: A. To prove or show the grounds of a preceding assertionThe GROUNDS for being a child by faith IS you have been baptized INTO Christ.Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, t
here is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed,
and heirs according to the promise.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the
........ Spirit OF life in Christ Jesus [we are baptized into Christ]
........ hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [and free from the Law of Ordinances]
The Same Paul said the same thing in all of his letters: The work of Jesus Christ is the FORM or type or "pattern capable of being imitted." Those who refused to just imitate that pattern REPUDIATE the Word of Jesus Christ:
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked,
that ye were the servants of sin,
but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin,
ye became the servants of righteousness.
Isn't that clear to any one who has read any of the contemporaneous literature tha the spirit OF LIFE is NOT a separated person. That is because SPIRIT means MIND and both Hebrew and Greek and dozens of passages identify that is the MENTAL DISPOSITION of God.
Rom 8:3 For what THE LAW could not do, in that it was weak through THE FLESH,
........ God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and for sin, condemned sin IN the flesh:
The Son of God was/is His WORD: Jesus was a unique Son in that God picked Jesus to be "made both Lord and Christ." The work of Jesus was in the flesh. This is prophesied many times
Pr 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold,Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,
........I will pour out my SPIRIT that unto you,
........I will make known my WORDS which unto you.
Pr 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pr 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof:
Luke 7:29 And all the people that heard him, a
nd the publicans, justified God,
being baptized with the baptism of John.
Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers
rejected the counsel of God against themselves,
being not baptized of him.
........ who walk not after the flesh, [human]
........ but [walk] after the spirit. [WE have the MIND of Christ which is the SPIRIT]
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then
with the MIND I myself serve the law of God;
but with the FLESH the law of sin. Rom 7:25And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that TURN [CONVERT] from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. Isa 59:20Rom 8:5 For they that are AFTER the flesh
As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord;
...........My SPIRIT that is UPON thee, and
.......... my WORDS which I have put in thy mouth, [Note the parallelism]
It is the SPIRIT that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:.......... shall not depart out of thy mouth,
the WORDS that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
.......... nor out of the mouth of thy seed,
l..........nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed,
.......... saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. Isa 59:21
do MIND the things of the flesh; [human]
but they that are AFTER the Spirit,
[do MIND] the things OF the Spirit. [ours when cleansed]
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death: [ours]
........but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [ours]
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
........for it is not subject to the law of God,
........neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are IN the flesh cannot please God
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but IN the Spirit,
........if so be that the Spirit OF God dwell in you.
........Now if any man have not the Spirit OF Christ, he is none of his.
What we call worship is IN THE FLESH and therefore CANNOT be in the SPIRIT if we MIND or GIVE HEED (Paul's only worship word) to people doing Rock and Roll to kill your sould.
You will notice that the
........Spirit OF god is the
........Spirit OF Christ and that means that
........CHRIST is in you.
That is because we know that the NAME of the "another" Comforter is "Jesus Christ the Righteous." The Spirit even COMES bearing the NAME "Jesus Christ" because while the body COUNTS FOR NOTHING the WORDS which dwell in us give us the MIND of Christ but the FULL DEITY does not LIVE in the CARNAL BODY but the HOLY personal spirit prepared so that the WORDS will stick and we can ALWAYS see the Spirit of Christ making CERTAIN that those with A holy spirit
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you,
........the body is dead because of sin; but [ours]
........the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [ours]
Rom 8:11 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.
Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors,
........not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: [ours]
........but if ye through the Spirit [ours] do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit OF God, they are the sons of God.
God the Father declared Jesus as His Son only after he was baptized.
Paul does not use the term THE HOLY SPIRIT: The spirit OF God is the spirit OF Christ which is the MIND of Christ which is IN the words which no one can discern without A holy spirit or A good conscience or A conscienced "sprinkled" from sin to make it A holy spirit.
Faith Facts: 1 Corinthians 3:16;
The word SPIRIT means WIND. God's invisible power or mental disposition is HIS Spirit. My spirit is the mental disposition of ME: we are not twins. When the spirit filled the upper room they HEARD the Sound of WIND. This Holy Wind is symbolic of the Holy Breath of the One God the Father. Before Jesus left the Apostles he BREATHED on them: In Acts Jesus gave instructions through the Holy Spirit.
The term "Holy Spirit" is not a person with a first name "Holy" and a last name "Spirit." Rather, holy means
Hagios (g40) hag'-ee-os; (an awful thing) [comp. 53 = clean, 2282 = fostered]; sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, cer. consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint
And spirit does not speak of a person unless it is God
Pneuma (g4151) pnyoo'-mah; from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by anal. or fig. a spirit,
A. i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by impl.) vital principle, mental disposition, etc.,
B. or (superhuman) an angel, doemon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit: - ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Comp. 5590.
If GOD and His SPIRIT are different PEOPLE then we have a problem: is it GOD Who literally dwells in our carnal body or is it the Spirit OF God which indwells OUR spirit? Scholars agree that Paul NEVER speaks of the SPIRIT as a separated PEOPLE. The Holy Spirit is the Mind of Christ (1 Cor 2)
1 Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and
..........that the Spirit OF God dwelleth in you?We are the temple of God when God's SPIRIT dwells in us BY FAITH.
1 Cor. 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God,
.......... him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
.......... which temple ye are.Paul Does not leave us to do theology but confirms that the SPIRIT which dwells is A holy personal spirit made such only at baptism:
Faith Facts: 1 Corinthians 6:19;
Remembering that Jesus delivered ALL of the "fodder" for modern SPIRITISTS in a PROVERB to keep the MYSTERIES out of their hands. Peter will mark the STRUMPETS as those who speak BEYOND THE PRINTED PAGE and as CORRUPTERS were ADULTERERS who "sold at the word RETAIL" after perverting it to increase theprice.
And Peter warned that the UNSTABLE (jitterbugs) can be FOOLED by Paul's writings. Take another look:
1 Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1 Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
If a person is joined to the Lord they do not become ONE HOLY SPIRIT: being joined to the Lord means that they have the same mind or mental disposition.
We are baptized by ONE SPIRIT or the SPIRIT OF ONENESS or UNITY into the ONE BODY of Christ. The PROSTITUTES in Corinth are well documented to be the Oracles of Apollo (our Apollyon" as musical soothsayers.
We are JOINED to the Lord as members of HIS church to which He adds us at baptism (only). Paul as he does in most of his letters warns about the polluted worship of the pagans. In 1 Cor 10 he warns against the MUSICAL IDOLATRY as DEMONISM at Mount Sinai. In 1 Cor 11 he warns against the MAD WOMEN prophesiers. In 1 Cor 13 he speaks directly to DEMON or ANGEL worship with the booms and clangs.
1 Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.Look at this parallelism showing that YOUR spirit is the subject:
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not thatyour body is the temple1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore
of the Holy Spirit [Baptism for remission of sins and the gift of A holy spirit]
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, [got that?]which are Gods.
Faith Facts: Galatians 4:6;
Jesus of Nazareth was the seed (Sperm) of Abraham: He was a man but God "made him to be both Lord Christ." He obeyed the Father and ARTICULATED the Words which God's Breath revealed to Him: not even Jesus had the authority to speak on His Own. When He came in Holy (wholly) Spirit form He STILL could not speak anything that Jesus in the flesh had not revealed. Therefore, anyone who claims to hear "beyond the sacred page" claims more authority than Jesus Christ in the Flesh and Jesus Christ The Spirit in that form. This would be the only way to MARK AND AVOID anyone who did not teach that which had been taught.
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come,
..........God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
..........made under the law,Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law,
..........that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;The word LOGOS Which defines God sending His WORD means II. possessed of reason, intellectual, Logikos when we speak A. of or for speaking or speech, 2. dialectical, argumentative, sullogismos [syllogisms]
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him;
Jesus commanded that all be baptized to REQUEST A holy spirit or A good conscience. The Scribes and Pharisees REJECTED Christ by rejecting John's Baptism of the tiny remnant of Jews who had not bowed to Baal:
1Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:
and if it first begin at us,
what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
THE HOUSE OF GOD IS THE BODY OF CHRIST WHICH IS THE CHURCH:
Colossians 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, a
nd fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh f
or his body’s sake, which is the church:
1Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long,
that thou mayest know
how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God,
which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
ONLY THOSE WHO OBEY THE COMMAND TO BE BAPTIZED WERE ADDED
Acts 2:41 Then they
that gladly received his word were baptized:
and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Obey
Hupakouo (g5219) hoop-ak-oo'-o; from 5259 and 191;
to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively;
by impl. to heed or conform to a command or authority: -
hearken, be obedient to, obey.Ac.6:7 And the word of God increased;
..........and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;
..........and a great company of the priests were obedient to THE FAITH
SPIRIT never speaks of A being, human or Divine. God is Holy or WHOLLY SPIRIT which defines the "substratum" upon which God rests or lives, AS we exist on a substratum of FLESH. Paul equated The Holy Spirit of God to The Mind of Christ (1 Cor 2).
Pneuma (g4151) pnyoo'-mah;Literally: a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze;
figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, by implication the vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, doemon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit: - ghost, life, mind. Comp. 5590.
Nous (g3563) nooce; prob. from the base of 1097; the intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by impl. meaning: - mind, understanding. Comp. 5590.
G5590 psuche psoo-khay' From G5594 ; breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151
G5590 psuche psoo-khay' From G5594 ; breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151 Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit OF his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
The Spirit of Christ is the same Mind of Christ which was able to call God HIS Father. You cannot call God "Father" until He calls you SON.
Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Faith Facts: 2 Ephesians 3:16-19;
The gift of A holy spirit
Means for the singular purpose
Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you,
.......according to the riches of his glory,
...... to be strengthened with might
.......by HIS Spirit in the inner man;
A holy spirit is your spirit
Ephesians 3:17 That Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:18 May be able to comprehend
with all saints what is the breadth,
and length, and depth, and height;
When we are baptized INTO Christ we have A holy spirit: that allows Christ to dwell IN our mind to the extend we have faith. We are baptized EIS of FOR the Remission of Sins
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin,
because we are not under the law,
but under grace? God forbid.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked,
that ye were the servants of sin,
but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Note Parallelism:
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you,
.............according to the riches of his glory,
............ to be strengthened with might
............ by HIS Spirit in the inner man;Which means:
Eph 3:17 That Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Christ dwells in our hearts BY faith which means that HIS spirit dwells in the inner man.
Faith Facts: 2 Timothy 1:14;
2 Tim 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God,
which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.This was the gift of prophecy or TEACHING also with the laying on of the presbyter'shands.
2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the
spirit OF fear;
but [spirit] OF power,
and [spirit] OF love,
and [spirit] OF a sound mind.
The Spirit of Fear is not another "people"
Spirirt is always the spirit or mental disposition OF some quality of mind.
2 Tim 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour
Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death,
and hath brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel:2 Tim 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
2 Tim 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed;
for I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep
that which I have committed unto him against that day.2 Tim 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words,
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.2 Tim 1:14 That unto thee keep by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.
THAT SPIRIT OF CHRIST OR MIND OF CHRIST IS:
2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the
spirit OF fear;
but [spirit] OF power,
and [spirit] OF love,
and [spirit] OF a sound mind.
Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit OF your mind;
Faith Facts: 4. Isn't the Holy Spirit's activity on a person so important that he cannot even receive spiritual reality without the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14; )
Disciples of Christ will attend the ekklesia (church) of Christ and hopefully hear the whole chapter explained.
1Cor. 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit:
for the [HIS] Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
Spirit is neuter: if it is the spirit of a male it is called a HE in personification.
The US (the Apostles) were guided into all truth by Jesus Christ in His Holy Spiritual form.
The Holy Spirit is God's Own spirit and not another "people."
Paul then equates the Spirit of the now-Spiritual Christ with the MIND of Christ:
Part 2: Faith Facts: Since you are so well versed in the Bible, would you be willing to give us answers for the hope that lies within you (1 Peter 3:15)? Frankly, there are some things we find hard to understand and perhaps you can enlighten us.
THE PATTERN JESUS ESTABLISHED WAS FULFILLING THE PROPHECY OF CHRIST ABOUT BAPTISM.
From the Isaiah Scroll which the Ethiopian enuch had been reading
Of all of the rituals to which God abandoned Israel because of musical idolatry:The MARK of a Disciple of Christ is whether they have A holy spirit which is A good conscience which means to be "washed with water INTO the Word meaning INTO the School of Jesus Christ. Only disciples are Christians and Disciples attend "School of the Word" and not "worship services." Paul warned that the Jews in Corinth would not be able to READ or HEAR The Word of God until they were converted or baptized INTO that School of Christ. Paul defines the ONLY role of the Qahal, synagogue or Church of Christ in the wilderness:
FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE (COMPLY) AND ARE BAPTIZED
17. my soul hates, they are a burden to me, I am tired of bearing them. (15) And when you spread your hands I will hide my eyes
18. from you, also when you multiply prayer I will not listen, your hands are full of blood. [+and your fingers+] [Aramaic]
19. [+of iniquity+] (16) Wash and make yourselves clean and turn away the evil of your habitual practices from before my eyes, stop doing evil. (17) LearnIsa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Rachac (h7364) raw-khats'; a prim. root; to lave (the whole or a part of a thing): - bathe (self), wash (self).
FOR THE BELIEVETH NOTS-APISTOS (WILL NOT COMPLY)
20. to do well, pursue judgement, bless the oppressed, judge the orphan, contend for the widow. (PP)
21. Please come and let us reason together says YHWH,
if your sins are like scarlet they shall be white as snow
22. if they be as red as crimson they shall be as wool.
Iff you are obedient and you give heed then of the good of the Land [{you shall eat.}]
23. (20) But if you refuse and you rebel
you will be devoured by the sword because the mouth of YHWH has said it.
That was INCLUSIVE of Rest, Reading and Rehearsing the Word: what disciples do.That was practiced by Jesus, commanded with the word ekklesia or synagogue, practiced and commanded by the apostles and all of early church history. The sole role:
That was EXCLUSIVE of vocal or instrumental rejoicing: that which not even Simple Simon would not do when God's Word (only) is being READ (or spoken only).
Acts 15:21 For MosesThe Lord's Supper ONLY to remember the death of Jesus: it has no magical power. It is the only "preaching" commanded for each first day of the week.
of old time hath in every city
them that preach him,
being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
2Corinthians 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
2Corinthians 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face,
that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded:
for until this day remaineth the same vail
untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2Corinthians 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Corinthians 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord,
the vail shall be taken away.
Conversion is parallel to Baptism
Epi-strephô
3. . turn or convert from an error, correct, cause to repent,
c. . Philos., cause to return to the source of Being. Regeneration:
Composed of the words:
Proteros and prôtos II. of Time, former, earlier, children by the first or a former marriage,
Prosthhen in front, before, formerly, of place and of time;
to gennêthen phusei pros to gennêsan
Which produces:
Genn-aô beget, bring forth, engender, call into existence
Phuo 1 Act.:--bring forth, produce, put forth, 2. beget, engender, get understanding,
Pros in the direction of
Genn-aô beget, bring forth, engender, call into existenc
Consistent with all historic "fathers" who spoke on the ONE GOD of the Godhead:
2Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
That's because the "flesh and blood" is defined as the WORD of Christ.
So, a Disciple of Christ who belongs to the Ekklesia of Christ would read context:
1Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye:The Flood and the Red Sea are Prophetic Types: Those who were "baptized" were SAVED: A Figure is a Type or Pattern Capable of being imitated.
and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
A holy or sanctified heart or spirit is permitted to let the Word of the Lord God live in the heart--not in the pleasure centers.
and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you
a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Peter 3:16 Having a good conscience; [A holy spirit]
that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers,
they may be ashamed that falsely accuse
your good conversation in Christ.
THAT MEANS CONVERSION
ana-strophē , hē, 2.urning back, return, S.Ant.226; pollas a. poioumenos, of a hunter, making many casts backward, X. Cyn.6.25; wheeling round, of a horse, Id.Eq.Mag.3.14; of soldiers in battle, whether to flee or rally, Id.Cyr.5.4.8; “mēketi dounai autois a.” time to rally, Id.HG4.3.6, cf. Ages.2.3; esp. of the reversal of a wheeling movement, Ascl.Tact.10.6, Ael.Tact.25.7, Arr.Tact.21.4; of a ship, Th.2.89; “ex a.” turning back, Plb.4.54.4; “kat' anastrophēn” conversely, S.E.M.7.430.1Peter 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
7. recourse, “a. lambanein pros ti” Plu. 2.112c.
lambanō , fut. lēpsomai 7. recourse, “a. lambanein pros ti 1. take hold of, grasp, seize,Thos who APPREHEND The Word of Jesus WILL BE baptized without tampering with the Word: If not, then you have no right to be saved:
Those who bad mouth baptism cannot APPREHEND the word of Christ.Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
1Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Peter 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
WHY WOULD PEOPLE CALL PETER A LIAR
1Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save usThose who "Believeth Not" says to God "I WILL NOT comply with your purpose to save us BY obedience WHEN we are baptized as obeying a FORM or "pattern to be imiated" of the work Jesus of Nazareth did: He was acknowledged as a SON only after He was baptized.
(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but the request for A good conscience toward God,)
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him
A good conscience also means consciousness or a Co-perception of the Word of Christ in the prophets and apostles.
Out HOPE is the finished Work of Jesus of Nazareth whom God made to be both Lord and Christ.
HIS prophetically ordained METHOD of sharing in that hope is to obey Him and be baptized. Those who refuse to COMPLY (Apistos or believeth not) not will be damned.
First of Many
Kenneth Sublett
11.14.11
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