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Body, Soul and Spirit
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Chapter 3: The Fall and Redemption of Man
The First Sin
Did Adam experience an inner conflict between right and wrong when he was first created? The answer is no, for he was fully united with God and had no knowledge of evil. He existed in a state of innocence. He was one with his Creator; they were united in spirit. That is, until sin entered the picture.
Adam was not created to function as a robot. He possessed the capability to make decisions. In his soul were the faculties of intellect, emotions, memory, and above all will, the center of decision making. Adam was free to do as he pleased. He could choose to go his own way or to obey God. The Lord requires that we serve Him through the exercise of a free will, a faculty which is essentially the throne of our being. As long as Adam walked in harmony and obedience to his Lord he had no inner conflict with evil.
The Lord had created woman as a helper, or helpmate, to complete Adam so they could multiply and fill the earth. She was made from a rib taken from around Adam’s heart, being literally made from his substance. God did not breathe life into her, for she partook of the life already present in Adam. The will of God was made known to Adam, and through him to his wife. In their creation God made them both in His likeness, each having a free will. They were commissioned together in a relationship patterned after that existing between Adam and the Lord: unity with headship. They were to<page 38> live as one; what they did was to reflect the harmony of God’s will. As long as they were united in purpose to obey the Lord, His life remained within them and they were immortal. In this way, they could rule and subdue the earth, for they possessed the mind and power of God. They were literally an extension of His life on the earth. The choice to obey or not to obey was theirs.
How they fell into sin reveals the shrewd and cunning nature of our adversary. The first step Satan undertook in his deception was to break the bond of headship between Adam and his wife. He tempted the woman to make a decision relating to God’s specific command independent of her husband. When she consented to debate and reason with him without consulting Adam, the first step toward sin had been taken. Rebellion against authority was the sin that Lucifer himself had committed in the beginning (Isaiah 14:12-14). Having succeeded in this, Satan next persuaded her to disobey the Lord and eat from the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil.” His temptation was an appeal to her senses of sight and taste. He also appealed to her ego and intellect by promising her that she would be like God, knowing good and evil. Any doctrine which promises a short cut in becoming like God, is pure deception.
It is important to note that she was tempted in her soul, where reason, emotions, senses and will were involved. She was tempted to act from stimuli to her senses instead of obeying the Spirit of God. Consequently, she was deceived. Although Adam also sinned, he did so knowing what he was doing and was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14). In either case, with sin came death and spiritual separation from God.<page 39>
Satan’s temptation of the woman is typical of how he attempts to deceive us. The thrusts of his temptation were the same desires that caused him to fall:
He rejected the headship that was upon his life (Isaiah 14:13).
He sought to be like God (Isaiah 14:14).
He was tempted in the realm of his spiritual senses (Ezekiel 28:17).
These were also the avenues of appeal he unsuccessfully tempted the Lord Jesus with:
Rise up and “exercise your authority” (Matthew 4:6).
Be like God “the easy way” (Matthew 4:8-9).
Sense of hunger (Matthew 4:3).
The essence of Satan’s temptations is the promotion of self!
Consequences of the Fall
When Adam sinned, he abdicated his place under God as lord of the earth, and opened himself to the influences of Satan. As a result, Satan became ruler, or prince, of the earth and its atmospheric heaven (John 14:30). He has placed fallen angels as centers of authority in the heavens over lawlessness in cities, nations and men.
The earth, not willingly, but because of Adam’s sin, came under the influence of Satan. Until now it groans and suffers under this curse, awaiting the day of<page 40> release and deliverance when Satan’s hold will be broken. When one comes to Christ, through faith with repentance, and receives Him as Lord and Savior, that person is delivered from the authority of Satan and is brought into the Kingdom of God.
The unsaved in the world live under the deception of the ruler of darkness and his cohorts. There are four reasons why men are in darkness:
They love and prefer darkness (John 3:19).
They are ignorant of the ways of God (Ephesians 4:17-18).
They are deceived (Matthew 6:22-23).
Their heart attitude toward others is one of hatred.
… The one who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in the darkness ….
One or more of these properties mark the hearts of lost mankind. The gospel is the answer for all of them, although not all who hear will respond. For example, there is very little hope for those who love darkness, while there is hope for the ignorant.
Life and Death
We are eternal beings; that is, we will always exist in a spirit-soul sense. However, we live spiritually only if we possess the Spirit of life. Adam died spiritually when he fell as a result of sin. He lost his union with God when the Holy Spirit left him. As Adam’s descendants, each one of us have inherited this state of<page 41> spiritual death in the fallen nature passed down to us. Thus, even though we may be alive physically, we are dead spiritually until life has been reestablished through the Holy Spirit coming to abide in our spirits. This renewal of life is spoken of as the “new birth.”
If one dies physically without having received spiritual life, he is eternally separated from God in what is called the second death. Thus, if we are only born once, we must die twice; but if we have been born twice (physical and spiritual) we need only die once. Physical death for a Christian merely means leaving the body and going into the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1-6).
The essence of true life, therefore, lies in the spiritual bond between our spirit (or heart) and the Lord. We have been made alive together with Christ. His Spirit will guide us in all matters of life and conduct. He who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). Through this union we have the potential for the character of God to be built into our hearts, and to have the mind of Christ to guide us.
The fall and the redemption of man is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. It is important to recognize how God’s provision for our redemption reflects His heart of love. His deep, unfathomable love for us is the reason for the cross of Christ; love is the basis of our redemption.
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Repentance
Repentance is an absolutely necessary step in redemption for it involves an act of the will without which one could not be saved. True repentance includes the honesty to confess and acknowledge one’s sin and<page 42><page 43><page 44> disobedience before God and men. Equally important, it means being willing to forsake the ways of sin, and with God’s help, to walk in righteousness. Sorrow for the past alone is not repentance; there must be an exercise of one’s will to forsake habit patterns of sin and to embrace the way of truth.
Repentance is the first step to be taken when a Christian discovers he has fallen short of the will of God. We need to be quick to repent. Whenever this is found to be difficult, it is a sign that one’s heart is becoming cold. This is a very dangerous position to be in; immediately, everything else should be laid aside and the Lord sought in humility. The Lord is near the brokenhearted; and He extends grace to the humble.
It is interesting to note that John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter prefaced their proclamation of the gospel by the need to repent (Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17; Acts 2:38).
In the process of training leaders, making disciples and equipping saints, the supreme importance of “instant repentance” must be stamped into hearts. Far too often the place for repentance is masked by man-made laws; legalism becomes the measuring rod for righteousness and the heart is ignored. True repentance requires a yielded will and a contrite heart; and the only men God can use to extend His kingdom are broken men.
Whereas there are many kinds and classes of men in the world, the cross normalizes all who come to Christ. There are no great, small, wise, mighty or debased at Calvary. All men become sinners saved by grace, and each one is a potential candidate for the character and mind of Christ. When training disciples,<page 45> everything must be referenced to the cross. Many bring their human values and talents into the kingdom, and these must be dealt with by the cross. Only what arises from their death can be used by God (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).
The Holy Spirit in Redemption
There is no redemption apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. It is He who reproves, convicts of sin and draws men to God. He reveals the dimensions of God’s love as demonstrated in the substitutionary death of His Son. He magnifies the sacrifice of Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, who freely gave himself for all who were lost in sin. He brings the grace and power of His indwelling presence to those who respond in faith. He exalts the Lord Jesus, unveiling His glory and ways to those who are saved; and His promptings become the law of the Spirit of life to those who will walk in them. He reveals the heart of God to His people. Out of His revelations we find our call and place in the body of Christ, and understand how to embrace God’s purpose for our lives.
We have not only been redeemed from hell and eternal separation from God; we are redeemed to become joint heirs with the Lord Jesus (Romans 8:15-18). The major emphasis in redemption is not the former but the latter. It is important to grasp the terrible magnitude and consequences of man’s fall, but it is far more important to understand the magnificent consequences of redemption. It is here the emphasis in training is to be focused; that is, to find the purpose of God for one’s life and be committed to it.
This we must do now; it is not a matter of waiting to see what the next life may have for us. We are to<page 46> discover and embrace the call for which we have been apprehended. This will form the basis for guidance in all areas of our life, such as marriage, profession, etc. What we become in Him during this present life, through the power and grace of God, determines the glory and place we have in His kingdom to come. To that end, all that we will ever need for godly character or service is available to us through the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit is not a gateway to instant victory. In many ways it will accentuate our warfare, for through it boundaries become more clearly defined. The power of the indwelling Spirit does not remove any responsibility to exercise our wills. If we will heed the quiet, inner voice of the Spirit, and not follow the dictates of our senses, emotions and reason, we can experience the joy of victorious living. If we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill lusts of the flesh. We live in two worlds, one of the Spirit and one of the flesh. The position of the soul, between the spirit and body in our graphic model, serves to illustrate this truth. The issue is how, in the exercise of our wills, we use the inputs from these two realms to govern our lives.
The Work of the Cross
The gospel is made up of three vitally important truths: the death, the burial and the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This is why the gospel is called the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). A major step toward a victorious Christian life is learning to appropriate all that Christ provided for us in His death, burial and resurrection, which are totally sufficient to deal with the sins and failures of our old nature.
Through death on the cross, Jesus shed His blood to forgive the sins of all who have faith to repent and believe in Him. Only His blood can forgive our sins!<page 47>
In the Old Testament, the blood of animal sacrifices atoned for the sins of the people. These animal sacrifices were required as often as the people sinned. However, there always remained an inner consciousness of sins, for although their sins were covered, men’s consciences were not cleansed; their sins and failures were never forgotten.
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary. After birth, He lived a completely sinless life. The blood in His veins was the blood of a perfect sacrifice. He was the unblemished Lamb of God, the sacrifice for sins, whose blood not only covered sins, but also totally forgave them so that they are never remembered again by God (Hebrews 10:1-18). Thus, believers need not bear a continual consciousness of past sins; their consciences have been cleansed by the blood of Christ and they can always draw near to God in full assurance of faith (Hebrews 9:14).
The word “justify” is translated from the Greek word “DIKAIOO” which means “to declare righteous.” To pass from death into life is only possible when one has faith in the shed blood of Christ to forgive all of one’s sins. This truth is expressed in the following scriptures.
Therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
(Romans 5:1, 9)
<page 48>Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things… but with the precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Just as it requires faith to believe that the shed blood of Christ forgives our sins, it also requires faith to believe the scriptures concerning our old nature.
Even so, consider (reckon, fully believe) yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ.
It is a moment-by-moment reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. What is dead, cannot sin! If I truly believe that my “old nature” is dead indeed to sin, then by faith I can live the new life which all true believers receive in Christ through the new birth! Salvation is truly living an exchanged life; I have died and Christ now lives in me. Paul expressed it this way:
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.
Jesus died on the cross and was buried as the last Adam to deal once and for all with the Adamic nature!
How is this important truth proclaimed in the gospel and how do new converts appropriate it by faith? The answer is found in the waters of baptism! The first step by which a new believer expresses his faith in this truth is to personally participate in the Lord’s burial<page 49> by being baptized in water. In doing so, he is testifying, “I believe that my old-self was crucified with Jesus on the cross, and I now bury it in the waters of baptism, where the Holy Spirit will cut it away by circumcision so that I may rise out of the water to walk in newness of life.”
The waters into which one is immersed do nothing; what takes place is a work of the Holy Spirit.
The following scriptures, which proclaim this truth concerning the burial of Christ, are where our faith is to be fixed.
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
Notice that the promise is neither regeneration by baptism nor sinless perfection, but of victory over habitual sin. Sin is not to be our master. We can walk in victory!
In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a (spiritual) circumcision (performed by) Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole cor<page 50>rupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts). (Thus you were circumcised when) you were buried with Him in (your) baptism ....
(Colossians 2:11-12; Amplified Bible)
The death and burial of Jesus in the gospel involved His humanity; His resurrection revealed His deity.
Having been spiritually born into God’s family, the gospel promise of His resurrection is the promise of power in the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord and to spiritually grow into His likeness. We identify with His resurrection by being baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 2:38; 10:44-48; 19:1-6). It is a valid expectation to see believers filled with the Holy Spirit when they come up out of the waters of baptism.
Jesus was not only the last Adam, He was also the first-born from the dead, the first of a new race of beings of which He is the head. Scripture speaks of this people as “the body of Christ” or the church. It is the collective spiritual relationship of all those in union with Christ; this is where each believer finds his identity and place of service. All fruit, all gifts, and all ministry come from the Holy Spirit. There is a unique deposit of His spiritual life within each one of us that determines our call in His body. He is to be center focus in all things! This organism of spiritual life is not based on religious organization. It is simply the life union that each believer has with Christ, and thereby with one another, to become a living body under His headship.
God’s witness of what He has done for us in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son is the threefold witness of the blood, the water and the Spirit (1 John 5:6-7).<page 51>
From the time of a child until He gave up His spirit on the cross, Jesus lived a life of choice. Every decision He made was a disciplined choosing between what He received from the window of physical senses and from the window of spiritual senses (the Holy Spirit). The fact that He did not sin was not because He could not sin, being God; but because he chose not to. He was made as a man with a free will to choose. He was tempted in all the ways we are, and thus, He came to know our human weaknesses. Because of this, as our High Priest, He faithfully intercedes for us. Moreover, He set the example for us on how to walk in righteousness. In the manner He overcame, we can also overcome through the guidance and power of His Spirit. To yield our will to Him, is to recognize that we have been crucified, our old nature was put to death at Calvary, and our new nature is now the Lord himself living within us. This is the way of victory; it is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus!
These fundamental truths concerning the cross are foundation stones to build lives in righteousness. If they are not taught and practiced, the door will be opened to legalism, which is how the carnal mind of man seeks to establish righteousness. Legalism produces slaves; grace produces disciples!
Renewal of Our Minds
Ways of our old nature do not pass away immediately after we are saved. God exhorts us in His word to lay aside our carnal way of life and be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:22-24). The option we face is either be conformed to this world, or be transformed by the renewal of our minds.<page 52>
The sin of Eve in the garden of Eden came to pass because of Satan’s attack on her mind. Her response was self-centered, and the spiritual damage that she incurred has been passed down to all succeeding generations. Because Eve believed a lie, our human mind-set is to live that lie. We want to appear wise and godly. We would sooner expound doctrines and theories than be honest and face the reality of our false fronts. However, the real person that we are lives behind the facades and pseudo-spiritual lives that we present to others. This is where change must come!
Renewal of one’s mind is not a matter of education; it requires a divine work of the Holy Spirit that touches our mind and our spirit.
Satan cannot read our mind, but he can and does bring thoughts into our mind. How we respond is key! Our mind is the primary battleground upon which we fight the good fight for a victorious life in Christ. The battle is to bring our thought life into obedience to the will of God. The weapons of our warfare, our understanding, our ability to minister, all come from the anointing of the Holy Spirit on our spiritual senses. The reality of His anointing transcends by far what one could experience by education through natural senses. The following scripture describes the spiritual battle that marks the process of renewal.
…for the weapons of our warfare … are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
<page 53>Fortresses to be destroyed are those thoughts brought into minds, which when accepted and acted upon will cause one to sin against God or against brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. If not destroyed, such fortresses can lead to demonic activity. Some examples of fortresses are unforgiveness, fear, pride, self-contempt, jealousy, envy, hatred, lust, racism, resentment, etc. Renewal of our minds requires honesty in facing such traits. This aspect of redemption, which certainly requires the power of God, is best accomplished in a covenant relationship of friends in Christ. There can be faithful surgery in the wounds of a friend!
The essence of a renewed mind is one whose thought life has come under control, where there is a submissive spirit to the authority of Christ. His government is the sword that divides men. His peace exists wherever He governs; and the ones who He governs are the ones He will change.
The following four properties, in particular, mark a renewed mind:
A mind whose thought life is under the government of Christ; one who is at peace without turmoil or anxiety (Philippians 4:6-9; Isaiah 26:3).
A mind that exhibits the trait of humility. True humility is to see oneself just as the Lord sees us. This means having no confidence in one’s ability or self. However, it also means recognizing that we are God’s sons seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4-10).<page 54>
A mind which has accepted forgiveness from God, and which freely extends forgiveness to others both for past and present wrongs suffered.
A mind with a deep desire to know the Lord and His ways better (Philippians 3:10-15). Once we become satisfied with where we are, we begin to backslide. The better we know Him, the greater this desire will be. A renewed mind is Christ-centered, not self-centered.
Sin, Sickness and Health
Although all sicknesses are not the direct result of some specific sin, it is apparent that sickness and disease do have their origin in the sin of Adam. It is also clear in scripture that the wounds of Christ in His scourging provide for physical healing (Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24).
This raises the question, “How should believers pray for healing; how does one appropriate divine health?”
The first step is certainly to take advantage of what is available to us in the physical realm, such as nutrition, rest, exercise and medical services. However, our wholeness is more than just a physical issue, it involves our spirit and soul as well.
In his third epistle, John links good health in the body to good health in the soul.
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
<page 55>In his epistle to Thessalonica, Paul recognized that one’s body, soul and spirit are woven together to form a living whole being, and he prayed that each part of the whole person would be preserved complete and without blame. Sanctification involves body, soul and spirit.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your (whole) spirit, soul and body be preserved complete, without blame …
The second step in answering our question is to understand the relationship that may exist between sin and disease. The following scriptures imply that there is a causal relationship: Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 28; John 4:14 and 1 Corinthians 11:27-31. Some obvious examples are lung cancer and smoking, cirrhosis of the liver and alcoholism, venereal disease and sexual sin. David’s repentant words in Psalm 38 reflect a causal relationship between his health and sin that he had committed.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.
However, what about sin that is not of the flesh? Do we really understand the important role that our spirit and soul play in our physical health? We may not be able to quantify it, but there is great therapeutic value to our physical well-being from joy, laughter and peace. On the other hand, who knows what sickness can arise from the presence of resentment, bitterness and strife in a person’s spirit?
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
<page 56>The field of medicine describes some sicknesses as being psychosomatic (symptoms in the body and/or the mind as a result of a mental condition). I suspect that this classification may be the tip of a great iceberg!
Consider the battle to control our thought life, and Satan’s strategy to deceive us and cause us to sin. If we accept and harbor thoughts that he brings into our mind, we will sin. We commit the sin of unbelief if we do not hold fast to what God has declared in His word to be true concerning our relationship to Him and to His body. The following are some possible scenarios of such sin.
Failure to walk in the light of God’s revealed grace and His word concerning our position in Christ can lead to self-contempt, great guilt, spirits of depression and hopelessness. Sickness and even suicide could eventually result.
The sin of unbelief can give rise to fear, anxiety and stress that could result in sicknesses such as ulcers and hypertension.
The sin of unforgiveness can produce inner tensions of hurtful memories that could cripple one’s health as well as destroy relationships in the body of Christ.
In summary, I suspect that the state of one’s spirit and soul is a much more important factor for good physical health than most Christians realize. Our outer man reflects what is on the inside, which is where our focus should be.
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
<page 57>To complete the answer of how believers are to pray for healing, it is clear that such ministry should include both counsel and prayer. Before praying in faith for healing, any evidence of sin from strongholds or fortresses, that may be present in the afflicted one’s mind, should be dealt with. This could include deliverance from demons. The following scripture, that concerns prayer for the sick, points clearly to the possibility of sin being a cause of sickness.
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed....
Faith and the Word of God
To accept God is to accept His word; to reject His word is to reject Him. Our faith in Him is supported by how He has revealed Himself and His purposes to us in the scriptures. It is not primarily teaching about the Lord we need, but time spent in His presence. And we need simple faith to embrace what He reveals to us (1 Corinthians 2:1-16). Above all, we must recognize that our faith is in Him, not in our knowledge of the Bible. Our faith is to be in the Author of the word. It is possible to know the Bible well and yet not know Him.
The tastes and habits that each of us possess are developed over time. They are not inherent in our nature. So it is with acquiring a good knowledge of the<page 58> scriptures; we must cultivate a love for the Bible through diligent study. Jeremiah expressed it this way:
Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart....
His character, His ways and His purposes never change; therefore, His word is also unchanging. As we know Him better, we will find His word to be an ever-unfolding revelation of His nature, glory and will. To memorize the Bible without cultivating a deeper relationship with the Lord has little value. Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith; He is the basis of faith in all matters. It is He, not simply the letter of the word that is the basis of our faith. Because He is eternal, His word is also eternal.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
The Lord honors His word as He honors His own name since it is an expression of His person and purpose. To love the Lord is to love His word; and to love His word is to obey it.
A seed contains within it all the properties of the mature plant that will one day grow from it. So it is with the word of God. We receive the implanted seed of the gospel into our hearts at conversion. If the soil of our heart is good, the nature of Christ will grow within us.<page 59>
For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God
(1 Peter 1:23).
To grow spiritually and manifest the nature of Christ in one’s life requires a discipline of prayer and systematic study of the word.
We are saved through faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God. Thus, it is important to recognize the place that scripture has in developing faith.
… Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.
Although the scriptures are the inerrant word of God, our understanding and interpretation of the Bible may be incorrect, or at least incomplete. It is a great error to try and manipulate God by using His word to obtain a result we desire. We may sound spiritual in our prayers: “Lord, your word promises this, therefore You must do it.” However, our declarations of faith and strong prayers will avail little if we do not know His heart in the matter. Seeking Him is always the first priority. When He quickens a portion of His word to us, that is where our faith is to be applied. We are to seek Him and His ways, and commit to Him the work of His hands. The prophet Isaiah expressed it well:
… Ask Me about things to come concerning My sons, and you shall commit to Me the work of My hands.
The reason why the Holy Spirit must reveal the word for us to be certain of interpretation and under<page 60>standing is because He knows the mind of God and He is the Spirit by whom the scripture was written. We can be introduced to an author by reading his book, but only if we come to know the author well will we truly understand his writings. Thus, through knowing Jesus, the living Word of God, we will understand the scriptures and have a solid basis for our faith.
Jesus said His words are spirit and life (John 6:63). It is not the letter which brings life, but God’s anointing upon His word. Too much emphasis on spiritual gifts to the neglect of teaching and studying the scripture can lead to walking by experiences; too great an emphasis on the word, without properly recognizing the ministry of the Holy Spirit, can produce a state of religious legalism. Balance comes out of the strength of a personal relationship to Jesus. It is Jesus we are to seek; to know Him is to know balance. The sword of the Spirit is what we are equipped with as soldiers of Christ. For although we are a covenant family, we are also a disciplined army engaged in spiritual warfare.
And take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
What God purposes to do through His people can only be accomplished by His power and grace. It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of this grace. We were saved by grace when deep in transgressions. By grace He made us alive together with Christ, and seated us with Him in heavenly places. By grace He is fashioning us into His image; and by grace He has prepared works for restoration, harvest and judgment that He will accomplish in the earth through us in these last days.<page 61>
Finally, He will display the riches of His grace in kindness toward us to all creation in the age to come (Ephesians 2:4-10).
Consequences of Redemption
The fall of man was the result of believing Satan’s message of “promotion of self; do your own thing.” This is the spirit of self-will that is in the world today.
The redemption of man is based on the gospel of the kingdom which declares, “I love you, and I have paid the price for your sins of rebellion. Receive My forgiveness and come into My kingdom under My government; deny yourself and do My will.”
The primary consequence of redemption is the central and preeminent place that Jesus is to have in the life, service and purpose of the redeemed. He must be seen for who He is; One in whom the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form and whose name is above every name. One who is before all things and in whom all things hold together. He is the radiance of His Father’s glory and the exact representation of His nature. He is also head of the body, the church where He merits first place in everything. He is Lord of lords and Kings of kings! The government is upon His shoulders!
The commission given to Adam to rule the earth will be extended to the redeemed of the Lord. Just as in the case of Adam, we can only rule through spiritual union with the Lord. Union is possible because the shedding of His blood is sufficient for the cleansing of all sin for anyone who comes to Him in faith. In addition, the spilling of His blood on the soil will, in the end, remove all effects of the curse from the earth. Finally,<page 62> Jesus took the keys of death and Hades from Satan. Those who respond to the gospel of grace and become subject to the Lordship of Christ, are no longer under the authority of the prince of this world.
What transpires within us between redemption and when we reign with Christ, is essentially a preparation for glory. The primary objective today is the same as it has always been: to become like Jesus.
We have to lay aside our desires for self-fulfillment. Our heart focus has to shift from ourselves to Christ, seeking to know Him more intimately. Not simply for the work of His hands in miracles, but for His presence. Paul’s prayer for the believers at Ephesus expresses it well:
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe ….
Truth begins with the spirit of revelation touching our spiritual senses to reveal the person and will of Christ to us.
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