Expositional commentary on Scripture using an inductive exegetical methodology intent upon confronting the lives of Christians with the dogmatic Truths of God's inspired Words opposing Calvinism and Arminianism, Biblical commentary, doctrine of grace enablement, understanding holiness and wisdom and selfishness, in-depth Bible studies, adult Bible Study books and Sunday School materials Dr. Lance T. Ketchum Line Upon Line: The Two Natures of the Believer

Monday, April 16, 2018

The Two Natures of the Believer




“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down {has been breached}, and without walls {without protection from attack}” (Proverbs 25:28).

          God divides humanity into two categories of people by the priorities and practices of their lives.  These two categories are given us in I Thessalonians 5:1-10.  These two categories are “children of light,” also referred to as “children of the day.”  The other is those who are “in darkness” or those who live their lives in “the night.”  Those people who are of “the night” are those that live their lives for carnal, selfish, licentiousness.  These are the drug addicts, the sexual perverts, the drunkards. 

The one word that describes those that are of “the night” is the word Hedonism.  Hedonism is defined as “the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life.”[1]  Those who believe in and practice Hedonism are known as Heathens.  A Heathen is defined as “one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person.”[2]  

Can a Christian be a Hedonist or a Heathen?  The purist definition of the word Christian is described by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:22, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”  Therefore, the differentiation between the Christian and the Hedonist/Heathen is not about pleasure, but in what we find pleasure or delight.  The Hedonist/Heathen can find pleasure in things God forbids - sin.  The Christian finds pleasure solely in doing the will of God.  A Christian cannot be a Hedonist or a Heathen.

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren {Christians}, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep {while it is daytime}, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night {the righteous}; and they that be drunken {the unrighteous} are drunken in the night. 8 But let us {the redeemed}, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep {at all times of the day}, we should live {presently in this life} together with him {the resurrected life in the power of His indwelling Spirit; now as we will in our glorified state in perfect fellowship with Christ}” (I Thessalonians 5:1-10)

          The War Scroll, from the Dead Sea Scrolls, tells us that the faithful remnant of Israel (the “Sons of Light”) believed they would fight a war in the last days against the Kittim (most probably refers to all non-Jews, including even unfaithful Jews).  In the War Scroll, this latter group is referred to as the “Sons of darkness.”  These two historical phrases, the “Sons of Light” and the “Sons of darkness,” give us a view of the understanding of Scripture by the faithful remnant of believers just before and at the time of the first advent of Jesus Christ.  The term “sons” reflects and understanding of generations or descendants.  The idea of producing righteous generations, or children, is reflected in Genesis 6:9.

“These are the generations {descent or family history/lineage} of Noah: Noah was a just man {tsaddiyq, tsad-deek’; righteous, the implication is that he was a redeemed sinner justified by the grace of God through faith and sincerely trying to live a righteous life before God} and perfect {without blemish or undefiled} in his generations {posterity; meaning he was a descendant of a line of people of faith and faithfulness}, and Noah walked with God {The meaning of this is explained in Genesis 6:22; ‘Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.’}” (Genesis 6:9).

          Obviously, producing a righteous generation of descendants does not happen by merely producing children.  In other words, it is not simply saved parents living righteous lives that will automatically procreated saved children who also will live righteous lives.  The Bible is redundant with contradictions to that false idea.  Producing a heritage of godly descendants will require great and consistent effort on the part of the parents within a carefully controlled corporate ethic.
 
Children will need to be brought to understand that they are sinners by nature and condemned under the curse of God upon sin.  They will need to understand that God expects them to turn from a life of sin to pursue a life of righteousness (repentance).  Children will need someone to explain to them their need of being “born again” and how to do so.  Therefore, they need someone to explain faith in God and faith as the means of receiving God’s gift of redemption.  Then, they will need to be taught their responsibility to engage the forces of evil, including their own sin natures, in the endless daily struggle against sin and for righteousness.  This is what defines a Son of light.  The Sons of light are those decisively joined to the host of Heaven in combat with evil. 

Children “of darkness” will be the natural consequence of parents living unrighteous and worldly lives.  Being children of darkness will certainly be the natural consequence of parents who are unredeemed, carnal, selfish, and reject the Word of God as authoritative in their lives.  The governing principle of both physical and spiritual procreation is that everything produces “after his kind” (Genesis 1:24-25).  It will require great effort and consistency on the part of sinners, even though “born again,” to produce a godly seed of “born again” righteous living children. 
 
When most people think of Antichristism, they think in terms of demonic forces that oppose anything that is righteous and godly.  That is certainly true of all that is antichrist.  However, seldom does anyone really consider that Satan has infected every human being with the nature of Antichristism at the fall of mankind into sin.  This Antichristism that lies within every human being is described in Romans chapter five.  We all are described as:

1. “Ungodly” (Romans 5:6)
2. “Sinners” (Romans 5:8)
3. “Enemies” of God (Romans 5:10)
4. Carriers and transmitters of “death” (Romans 5:13)

Salvation is not a magic wand waved over our lives automatically correcting all our deficiencies.  The victory over Antichristism must begin within our own hearts and lives as “born again” believers in Jesus Christ.  The greatest hindrance to victory over Antichristism is biblical ignorance and the selfish carnality that continue to dominate the lives of professing believers.  Professing Christians are easily led astray because they are ignorant of Bible doctrine, especially the doctrines of grace, of holiness, of separation from worldliness, and of the priesthood of all believers.  They know enough to pray a prayer and perhaps get their souls saved, but they are never genuinely invested in learning doctrine to the degree they get their lives saved.  Even though they are “born again,” Antichristism continues to reign as their slave master because they have not learned to habitually yield to the indwelling Christ.
 
Since Antichristism resides within every Christian in our fallen natures (the “old man,” Romans 6:6), the solution to the domination of Antichristism in a believer’s life is found in I John 2:24-27.  The key to victory is found in the repeated use of the words “abide” and “abideth.”  Therefore, John concentrates his first chapter of his first epistle upon the essentials of what is necessary for “fellowship” with God.  Learning to “abide” in Christ is essential to overcoming the Antichristism that resides in us in our fallen natures. 

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (I John 3:6-10).

The word “committeth” in I John 3:4 and 8 is a present active participle.  The words “transgresseth” in I John 3:4, “sinneth” in I John 3:6, and “commit” in I John 3:9 are present active indicatives. 

What this means is that these verbs are referring to practices that are continuous in a person’s life.  We might insert the word habitually before each of these words to clarify the meaning.  Although the believer will commit occasional acts of sin, if he habitually lives in sin and is unrepentant, he should question the reality of his professed salvation.  Habitual sin is not a question of carnality.  Habitual sin is a question of salvation.

The whole Gospel message extends far beyond the salvation of the soul from the curse and from Hell.  As already stated, any gospel that does not connect the “born again” sinner to his responsibilities in practical sanctification before God is a false gospel.  It is often said that the epistle to the Romans is the “Gospel of God” asking and answering the question, “Where shall righteousness be found?”  Understanding this is important in that the Good News of God does not end with the mere salvation of our souls from the curse and from Hell.  The salvation of our souls from the curse and from Hell is merely a beginning of our “so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3).  

Misunderstanding the different aspects of salvation has led to numerous errors in the doctrine of salvation.  Augustine saw salvation as a process rather than an event.  This was due to understanding texts that pertained to progressive sanctification as pertaining to progressive justification.  This misunderstanding led to salvation being a process involving religious rituals or sacraments and personal works that contributed to a person’s salvation. 

Men like Luther and Calvin took a progressive view of justification.  In fact, perseverance of the saints is really a progressive view of justification.  In fact, in Calvin’s Institutes of Religion, he has dedicated the whole fourteenth chapter to the discussion of progressive justification, which is just an extension of his false doctrine of Monergism (if you are not familiar with this term, be sure to educate yourself about it).  If you are willing to read through all of Calvin’s convoluted nonsense, you will discover that he believed that justification “by grace through faith” is not an event, but rather a progressive process.  Calvin and Luther both believed in an extreme form of the false doctrine of Monergism that confused or comingled justification with progressive sanctification.  This is a common problem within traditional Calvinism and New Calvinism.  Calvin said: 

“On the contrary, though we may be redeemed by Christ, still, until we are ingrafted into union with him by the calling of the Father, we are darkness, the heirs of death, and the enemies of God.  For Paul declares that we are not purged and washed from our impurities by the blood of Christ until the Spirit accomplishes that cleansing in us (1 Cor. 6:11).  Peter, intending to say the same thing, declares that the sanctification of the Spirit avails “unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,” (1 Pet. 1:2).  If the sprinkling of the blood of Christ by the Spirit gives us purification, let us not think that, previous to this sprinkling, we are anything but sinners without Christ.  Let us, therefore, hold it as certain, that the beginning of our salvation is as it were a resurrection from death unto life, because, when it is given us on behalf of Christ to believe on him (Phil. 1:29), then only do we begin to pass from death unto life.”[3] (underlining added)   

          The problem of the strife between righteousness (light) and unrighteousness (darkness) lays in the fallen nature of every human being born into this world.  The problem is that we all have a fallen nature that has a propensity for the things of the darkness.  This darkness exists where people are ignorant of God’s existence and God’s revealed will that comes to us through His inspired Word.  Darkness is ignorance of God’s will.  People walk in darkness when they live within that ignorance pursuing the pleasures offered by satanic deception and corruption of God’s revealed will.  The true believer has repented of sin and no longer wants to “walk in darkness.”

5 This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ {the once and for all offering} his Son {perpetually} cleanseth {present tense; this is for fellowship with God, not salvation} us from all sin” (I John 1:5-7).

          A predominant theme of all the prophets and their messages from God is a call to repentance and revival of prayer and pure worship of God in love and from the heart.  This theme of repentance and revival would have been the constant emphasis of the remnant returning from the chastisement of Babylonian captivity.  These people wanted to ensure that God would have a faithful remnant of Jews through which He could fulfill His promises to Abraham. 

We can only know of the will of God when we accept the revelation of that will by trusting (faith) in the inspired Words of God.  Hebrews 11:6 defines those that delight in the Law of the Lord as those that “diligently seek him.”  The words “diligently seek” are from the Greek word ekzeteo (ek-zay-the’-o), meaning to search out or investigate so as to offer worship through observance and practice of the will of the One searched out.  

Faith is both the knowledge of, and obedience to, the known will of God revealed through the inspired Words of God in Scripture.  True Biblical worship of God can only exist within the scope of knowledge of, and obedience to, the revealed and known will of God.  This is what the Bible means by the words “walk in the light as he is in the light” (I John 1:7).  Genuine faith will “diligently seek” to know and practice the will of God and will delight in doing so. 

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
 
          In most part, the ministry of the Church is ministry to people professing to be saved.  That does not necessarily mean we minister to “good” people just trying to be better.  In my almost fifty years of ministry, that ministry to people within the Church has involved trying to help people in deep sexual addiction (fornication and pornography), adultery, spousal abuse (both husbands and wives), child abuse where the child was blinded with extreme brain damage, sexual molestation of children, incest of a father and brother with a young daughter and younger sister, a trusted man in a national ministry whose ministry was built upon a complete farce and where he was defrauding hundreds of local churches of funds.  The list is endless.  The difficulty of ministering to such people after their failure is that our understanding of righteousness is so offended that we want to see justice and penalty, not grace and mercy. 

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:1-11).

          In Ezekiel chapter eight, God gives us a unique vision of His view of the human heart, soul, and mind.  The vision exposes the inner thinking, desires, and fantasies of the priests of Israel as well as the “ancients,” or the ruling elders of Israel.  Although they may not actually have been involved in the wicked practices described, this was what their fallen natures desired and lusted after.  The idols were in their hearts!

1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me. 2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. 3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate {only Levites were allowed access to the Inner Court} that looketh toward the north; where was the {Mercy} seat of the image of jealousy {God is a jealous God; Ex. 20:5, 34:14}, which provoketh to jealousy. 4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. 5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. 6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.

"7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. 8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. 9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. 10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall {Egyptian hieroglyphics} round about {pagan gods of Egypt}. 11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. 12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. 16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. 17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence {God’s chastisement}, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose {turn up their nose in insolent scorn at God’s warnings}. 18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them” (Ezekiel 8:1-18).

          The conflict between the will of fallen humanity and the will of God began in the Garden of Eden.  The conflict between the will of fallen humanity and the will of God cannot be separated from the corrupting influences and temptations of the selfishness of fallen angels led by Lucifer.  Where ever Satan’s corruption of the human will exist, Satan has created a partner in corrupting other human beings in his deception of illusions and delusions that involves human beings in their own self-destruction.  The fallen unbeliever is almost completely ignorant of the constant spiritual battle for his soul and will between the hosts of Heaven and the hosts of Hell. 
 
However, even though the soul can be won to Christ and saved, that does not end the battle for the will.  The saved sinner will live the rest of his life on Earth within the battle between the hosts of Heaven and the hosts of Hell for his/her will.  The question of the struggle for the will is to which host the saved sinner joins his will.  This is what Paul addresses in Romans chapter six.  It is essential that we understand that Romans chapter six is written to “born again” believers.  The context is yielding to the indwelling Spirit of God.  Only “born again” believers have the indwelling Spirit of God.  Any attempt to live for God apart from receiving the gift of salvation and the indwelling Spirit of God is just human works.  Human works to please God are futile foolishness.  

There is an essential supernatural aspect that needs to be understood before saved parents can ever produce a godly heritage.  Parents must understand that God wants to partner with them in producing godliness in their lives and in the lives of their children.  This fact is foundational to understanding the Bible doctrine of practical sanctification.  This partnership with God is usually translated by the word “fellowship” in the KJV.  “Fellowship” with God is the outcome of the filling of the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18).  Ephesians chapters five and six teach the essentials to walking in the light rather than in the darkness.  However, Romans 6:6-18 explains the means of entrance into walking in the light and in fellowship with God. 

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin {the fallen nature}. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin {the fallen nature}, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin {the fallen nature} therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin {the fallen nature}: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin {the fallen nature} shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace {the supernatural enabling of the indwelling Spirit of God}. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin {the fallen nature} unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin {the fallen nature}, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin {the fallen nature}, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:6-18).

          The lost and fallen unbeliever has a fallen, corrupt nature to which God refers as the flesh or the old man in the Scriptures.  Until the fallen sinner becomes aware of the battle between the forces of evil and the host of Heaven, he becomes a tool of Satan in the destruction of humanity through corruption and perversion of the knowledge and practice of the will of God.  God’s use of the word flesh in the Scriptures defines a division between the spiritual and the carnal; between the eternal and the temporal.  The word flesh defines a differentiation between the physical and the spiritual.  The flesh is corrupted in the fall of humanity by lusts.  Lust is a word that describes the corrupted desires of the corrupted will.  The will has been corrupted when the desires of the flesh are contrary to the will of God. 

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way {God’s way} upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (Genesis 6:8-13).

          Noah was a saved (justified) man.  That means Noah had received (“found”) the gift of God-kind righteousness (“grace”).  Noah was a man of faith who believed in the invisible Jehovah.  Because Noah believed in the Spirit-Being of the invisible Jehovah, Noah lived in a manner corresponding to the righteousness of God given to him in the gift of salvation.  This life pattern of trying to live the will of God is described by the word walk in Genesis 6:9 – “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”  The phrase “walked with God” is intended to reflect the traverse through life accompanied by the presence and power of the enabling grace of God in the Person of God’s Holy Spirit.  Because Noah believed and yielded his will to God’s will, God aided Noah in his walk with God. 

          Noah’s salvation was apparent through the character of his desire to walk with the Lord according to righteousness in contrast to the rest of those of the “earth” who walked according to the desires of their flesh.  This is what is described by the words “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11).  Obviously, the word “earth” is referring to the people that occupy the “earth.”  The word “earth” is not referring to the water, dirt, and rocks that make up the planet we know as “earth.”  This corruption is referring to the filth of human sensuality worshiped as a god and given every preference.  This is what we call the Hollywood mentality in our generation.  This corruption filled the earth. This corruption flowed into every crevice of human imagination, flooding the world with a license to sin against God. 

In their sins against God, they do violence to their fellow humans.  This is the natural course of natural man once the moral restraints of the Laws of God are rejected.  Human freedoms of the will rapidly degenerate into human abuses as individuals begin to presume their freedoms of the will as more important than another’s freedoms of the will resulting in anarchy.  This is the ultimate end of the way of the flesh.  This is the meaning of the phrase “for all flesh had corrupted his way {God’s way} upon the earth” (Genesis 6:11).  Anarchy is the promotion of lawlessness, unrighteousness, and injustice.  God refers to this mindset and lifestyle as “wicked.”  This is the spirit of Antichrist.

5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust” (I Timothy 1:5-11).



[1] Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hedonism, accessed 11/4/2017.
[2] Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pagan, accessed 11/4/2017.
[3] Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Public Domain PDF: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html, Third Book, Chapter Fourteen, page 483. 
[4] "An OnLine site for the Complete WORKS of CHARLES G. FINNEY". www.gospeltruth.net.
[5] https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Plain_Account_of_Christian_Perfection, This work, originally published in 1777, is taken from the United Methodist Church's digitization of The Works of John Wesley (1872) by Thomas Jackson. Note that the subtitle may be misleading; the year 1777 is the year this edition was published, not a year Reverend Mr. John Wesley’s sentiments changed in some way.
[6] Full doctrinal statement available at http://nazarene.org/articles-faith, accessed 1/17/2018.


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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

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